Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump insists energy ceasefire still holds and lashes out at diesel deal critics

Russia and Ukraine trade strikes amid doubt over ‘energy ceasefire’Donald Trump has insisted that an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia was still holding, even as Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of relentless attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities.Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump claimed both countries “agreed” to a ceasefire because “I said, ‘You agree.’ That's why they agreed”.When pressed about the ongoing attacks by Russia, Trump said there had been “violations on both sides".Zelensky said Ukraine had observed Trump's request not to strike targets related to energy production and was "horribly surprised" to see Moscow strike six ‌Ukrainian energy facilities ‌on Monday. He said the attack began hours after Trump announced the purported "energy ceasefire".The ceasefire was announced after Trump struck a contentious deal that would allow Russia to supply more than 2.25 million barrels of diesel to American and global markets.Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said Moscow had the capacity to increase diesel exports to pre-war levels by the end of the year.Meanwhile, Russian strikes across Ukraine have continued, with two people killed after a drone hit a Kyiv apartment block on Monday. Poland says two Turks detained in Germany over Starlink fire it blames on RussiaTwo Turkish citizens were detained in Germany in connection with a fire at a Starlink station in Poland, Warsaw said on Monday, adding that it believed Russia was behind the incident.Officials from several ⁠EU countries have warned for months that ​Russia ⁠has been mounting sabotage, cyber and other hybrid attacks across Europe to erode support for Ukraine. Russia says such accusations are baseless ⁠and the result of anti-Russian hysteria.The blaze at the Starlink station ​in ⁠central Poland in September engulfed its ‌power system and backup generator. Poland said at the time that it believed the fire was an act of sabotage aimed at disrupting internet ‌services, including for Ukraine's military."We have no doubt ‌that Russian services are behind this act of sabotage, and it is worth adding that Russian services are increasingly turning to individuals linked to the criminal underworld," Polish Special Services ⁠Minister Tomasz Siemoniak told a news conference.Interior minister Marcin Kierwinski said the two Turkish citizens would face charges in Poland of carrying out sabotage on the instructions of a foreign intelligence agency.Elon Musk activated Starlink services over Ukraine in 2022 after Kyiv pleaded for help in the ‌first days following Russia's full-scale invasion. Poland has said previously it ​has been paying for Ukraine's Starlink subscription.Despite Musk's subsequent clashes ‌with Ukrainian officials over his views ⁠on the war, Ukraine's military relies on tens of thousands of ⁠Starlink terminals for battlefield communications and some drone operations.Shweta Sharma13 October 2026 07:00Russia expects to take diesel exports to pre-war levels after Trump's concessions Russia has said that it will be able to return its diesel exports to levels not seen since Ukraine began targeting the country’s oil refineries after Trump administration lifted US sanctions on Russian energy. Deputy prime minister Alexander Novak has claimed they expect to increase export to pre-war levels.“We will see how ‌the situation develops further, ‌but Russia has the capacity to increase diesel fuel exports. By the end of the year, exports could reach 3-3.5m metric tons per month, returning to the levels seen before the crisis,” he told Rossiya-24 state TV channel on Monday.Russia’s diesel exports have collapsed to Ukraine’s attacks on its oil refineries as well as due to its self-imposed overseas sales restrictions. The comments came after Trump announced on Friday that Russia had agreed to supply diesel to global markets in order to ease supply concerns, in a deal that has drawn condemnation from Ukraine and other US allies. The agreement, which would allow Russia to export more than 2.25 million barrels of diesel to the US and international markets, has drawn criticism from lawmakers across both major US parties, who warn that it could provide Moscow with additional revenue to fund its war in Ukraine without securing any concessions from Vladimir Putin.A group of Republican and Democratic senators urged Mr Trump to “reverse course”, arguing that the deal could breach a 2022 law aimed at supporting Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion.Shweta Sharma13 October 2026 06:24 Russian drones damage cargo terminal in Ukraine's Mykolaiv, official saysRussian drones ⁠have damaged a ⁠cargo terminal ​in ⁠Ukraine's ⁠port ​city ⁠of ‌Mykolaiv in attacks overnight, ‌acting ‌regional governor Heorhii Reshetilov said on Telegram on ‌Tuesday.No loss of life has been reported so far as emergency crews worked to extinguish the fire. Shweta Sharma13 October 2026 06:04Two killed in Russian attack on Kyiv apartment buildingTwo killed in Russian attack on Kyiv apartment buildingShweta Sharma13 October 2026 06:00Drone debris damages industrial area in Russia's Nevinnomyssk, governor says Falling drone debris has ⁠damaged an industrial area ⁠in Russia's Nevinnomyssk in the southern Stavropol region, ⁠governor ‌Vladimir Vladimirov said ‌on Telegram on ‌Tuesday, without ⁠providing details.Nevinnomyssk is a major chemical production area, ‌among other ​industrial ‌facilities.Shweta Sharma13 October 2026 05:50Trump offered Russian diesel deal to lure Putin back to Ukraine peace talks, report saysDonald Trump’s administration has offered Russia a deal to export diesel in an attempt to bring Vladimir Putin back to negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, according to a Reuters report.Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner told Ukrainian officials during a meeting in Miami on Friday that Putin was unwilling to negotiate an end to the four-and-a-half-year war, three people familiar with the discussions said.The US envoys suggested that the agreement, which would allow Russia to supply more than 2.25 million barrels of diesel to American and global markets, could help soften Moscow’s position and revive stalled trilateral talks.The deal has drawn criticism from US lawmakers who argue it would provide Russia with additional revenue to fund its war without requiring concessions from the Kremlin.Trump has defended the agreement, saying it would help lower energy prices in the US ahead of crucial midterm elections.During the Miami meeting, Kushner also reiterated Washington’s demand that Ukraine stop attacking Russian oil refineries, according to two people familiar with the talks.“The idea was that the US could go back to Russia and say ‘See, the Ukrainians stopped striking and we gave you this deal. Now it’s your turn to do something,’” one of the people said.Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, days after unveiling the diesel agreement. Neither Moscow nor Kyiv has confirmed the ceasefire, however, and Russian forces struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Monday.The Kremlin also rejected Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal for a 60-day ceasefire.The Miami discussions reportedly included potential security guarantees for Ukraine, although further details were not disclosed.Shweta Sharma13 October 2026 05:00Two killed in Russian strike on Kyiv residential building A Russian strike on a high-rise residential ⁠building in a suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv killed two people and injured at ⁠least seven, ​officials ⁠said on Monday.Prosecutors in the capital, writing on ⁠Telegram, said one person had died ​after ⁠the evening ‌strike on the 25-story residence. They said a second body ‌was found in ‌a car next to the building.Prosecutors said seven people were injured ⁠in the incident, while Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 11 people were hurt, with three being treated in hospital.Pictures posted on unofficial Telegram channels showed ‌parts of an apartment building ​ablaze.Ukrainian firefighters inspect burned vehicles in front of a high-rise residential building damaged following a Russian drone attack, in Kyiv (AFP/Getty)Russian attacks on ‌Kyiv and other ⁠Ukrainian cities, previously conducted chiefly ⁠at night, now disrupt daily ‌life virtually ​around the clock.Shweta Sharma13 October 2026 04:25Zelensky says Russia strikes energy facilities despite Trump claim of an energy ceasefire Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that while Ukraine is willing to halt attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, Moscow has continued to strike his country's energy sites despite US president Donald Trump's announcement that the warring countries had agreed to cease such attacks.Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland, Zelensky said Ukraine had been "horribly surprised" that Moscow struck a power plant in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, as well as a gas production facility and a civilian gas station hours after Trump announced the purported "energy ceasefire".Later, during an interview on Fox News Channel's "America's Newsroom," Zelensky said his government had refrained from striking Russian energy sites since Trump's announcement, and was ready to honour an energy ceasefire as "a good first step" toward closing the war.But, he said, "I'm not sure that (Russian president Vladimir) Putin is ready." "Even after yesterday's messages from (Trump) ... Putin attacked our gas infrastructure," Zelensky said. "When we speak about energy ceasefire, it means only one thing: that they don't attack our energy infrastructure and we don't respond on their energy infrastructure." Poland Ukraine Warsaw Security Forum (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump insisted on Monday that an energy ceasefire was in place. "Well, they agreed," Trump said. "Because I said, 'You agree.' That's why they agreed. because I said they agree." When pressed about the attacks by Russia, Trump said: "Well, I'd have to look at it and see, because there's been violations on both sides." Trump's brief social media post on Sunday had offered few details about the ceasefire, but said it took effect immediately. "Do not break it!" he added.Shweta Sharma13 October 2026 03:58Russia says it may export up to 3.5 million tons of diesel a month by year-endRussia will be able to recover its diesel exports to between 3 million tons and 3.5 million tons per month by year-end, the country's usual exporting volumes of the fuel, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Monday.Speaking to Rossiya-24 state TV channel, he also said that thanks to the deal agreed on with US President Donald Trump, additional Russian diesel supplies will partially balance global supply and demand.James Reynolds13 October 2026 03:00Zelensky says US should have made a deal with Ukraine as they determine if refineries operateVolodymyr Zelensky suggested on Monday that the US should have made a “diesel deal” with Ukraine, as it is they who “determine whether oil refineries operate”.The Ukrainian president said he doubted the deal announced by Donald Trump for Moscow to supply diesel will meaningfully impact the global market, as the amount is too low.“If someone thinks otherwise, let them think so,” he said at the Warsaw Security Forum. “I believe that other motives lie behind this decision. If so, then why isn't America concluding an agreement on diesel fuel supply with Ukraine?” “We influence whether these vessels move. We determine whether the oil refineries operate. Let's do that.”Volodymyr Zelensky (AFP/Getty)James Reynolds13 October 2026 02:00