Zelenskiy: “Russia attacks Ukrainian gas facilities…violates energy ceasefire”

“We will respond if Russia does not agree to an energy truce.”

(Rome = Yonhap News) Correspondent Min Gyeong-rak = Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on the 12th (local time) that Russia attacked Ukraine's gas facilities overnight and warned that he would respond if the country does not agree to a ceasefire.

According to the Ukrainian President's Office, President Zelenskyy said in a speech at the Warsaw Security Forum held in Poland that day, "Last midnight, a Russian jet-powered Shahed drone struck a gas production facility in Ukraine."

Ukrainian state-owned energy company Naftogas said its gas production facility in Kharkiv was attacked overnight by Russia, damaging key equipment and causing a fire.

President Zelensky pointed out, "There were also Russian attacks targeting ordinary gas stations," and "These are examples of Russia violating the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump."

He then criticized, “The answer Putin has given to President Trump so far is a Russian attack.”

President Zelensky emphasized, “If we want our attacks targeting Russian oil refineries and oil export facilities to stop, we must stop the attacks starting with Russia,” and “We must stop killing our own people.”

“We are grateful to the United States and support the energy ceasefire initiative,” he said. “If Russia does not agree to an energy ceasefire this winter, we will respond.”

As President Trump claimed on the 11th that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire in the energy sector, attention is focused on whether both sides will actually implement the ceasefire.

President Trump's claim of a 'ceasefire agreement' is being interpreted as a pressuring remark by President Trump aimed at lowering energy prices ahead of the US midterm elections, as neither Russia nor Ukraine clearly clarifies whether there is a prior agreement.

President Trump made the same claim on the 14th of last month, saying that both sides decided not to strike energy targets, but attacks from both sides continued thereafter.