Ukraine defies Trump with strikes on Russian refineries
Ukraine will no longer comply with US President Donald Trump's demand to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday, escalating tensions between Kyiv and Washington over a US-Russia diesel agreement. Zelensky described Trump's deal easing sanctions on Russia in exchange for diesel releases as a "weak decision" that would prolong the war, and said the block on refinery attacks is "out." The dispute follows Trump's criticism of Zelensky and threats to replace him, with Ukraine also reporting disruptions to US satellite communications used on the battlefield. Russia accused Ukraine of derailing US peace efforts, reporting a "large-scale attack" on an oil refinery in Ryazan. Ukraine has faced intensified Russian bombardment, while Moscow occupies around a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014.