Kyiv Attacking Russia Despite Moscow Accepting U.S.' Temp Ceasefire Proposal

Ukraine launched drone strikes on multiple Russian energy facilities despite Moscow's acceptance of a U.S.-brokered temporary ceasefire, according to the Russian defense ministry.

The attacks occurred after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a limited pause in strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure following a discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump.

On March 24, at around 2 a.m., Ukrainian drones targeted the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station in Russia’s Krasnodar region, part of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). Russian air defense intercepted a drone 7km from the site, with debris falling near the Kavkazskaya railway station. This follows a previous attack on the same facility on February 17, which caused damage and forced it out of service.

Earlier, on March 19—just hours after Moscow confirmed its adherence to the ceasefire—Ukraine struck another CPC facility in Kavkazskaya stanitsa, where oil is transferred from rail tankers to the pipeline system. Additionally, on March 23, Russian forces repelled an attempted drone strike on the Glebovskiy gas-condensate field in Crimea. Two days before that, on March 22, Ukrainian drones hit the Valuyki gas metering station in Belgorod region, damaging its equipment.

The Russian defense ministry stated that these attacks contradict Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s commitments to the ceasefire discussions. “Despite statements made by Zelensky, including those conveyed to American partners, Kyiv continues to attack energy infrastructure on Russian territory,” the ministry said, adding that the events prove “it is impossible to come to an agreement with Kyiv.”

Meanwhile, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Moscow has refrained from targeting Ukraine’s energy sector under the agreement with Washington. Trump had earlier announced that Putin agreed to the suspension “with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a complete ceasefire and, ultimately, an end to this very horrible war.” However, Moscow insists that Kyiv should not use the pause to strengthen its military position.

In a related development, Trump proposed that the U.S. take operational control of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, particularly the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been under Russian control since 2022. Kyiv has not yet responded to the proposal. Separately, Trump announced that a rare earth minerals agreement with Ukraine would be signed “very shortly,” aligning with U.S. national security priorities.

While negotiations continue in Saudi Arabia, the conflict persists. A missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on March 24 wounded nearly 90 people, including 17 children. Talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Riyadh lasted over 12 hours, with discussions on a Black Sea ceasefire taking center stage. A joint statement on the negotiations is expected soon.

British and French defense chiefs are also discussing possible military involvement in safeguarding any ceasefire deal. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested forming a “coalition of the willing” to support Ukraine, raising questions about potential deployments of British and French forces.