EU leaders rally around Zelenskiy as Trump criticizes Ukraine strikes

Ukraine has frequently struck Russian oil refineries, typically describing them as hits on "industrial enterprises." However, the target of Thursday's attack in Ryazan, one of Russia's largest, was immediately identified by the regional governor. For the first time since the war began, state TV showed the aftermath of a refinery attack, with a small plume of black smoke rising from the site. Russia is keen to highlight the incident, which occurred four days after Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv that neither side confirmed.

Ukraine stated it paused such attacks for three days in deference to Trump but resumed them because Russia continued to target its energy infrastructure. Trump said at the weekend that such attacks by Kyiv "damn well better stop" and, in an interview broadcast Thursday, called Ukraine's resumption of strikes a "disgrace."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries had not caused significant damage and vowed that Moscow would respond.