Russia has violated ‘energy ceasefire’ more than 30 times, Ukraine says
Russia has violated a partial ceasefire covering energy infrastructure more than 30 times since it was agreed in March, targeting critical infrastructure across Ukraine, a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on April 16.
“We regularly send detailed information on each of these violations to partner countries and the headquarters of international organizations,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said during a briefing, Ukrinform reported.
Tykhyi noted that three violations were recorded in the past 24 hours. Russian attacks damaged transformers in Mykolaiv Oblast and near Kherson and a power transmission line in Poltava Oblast.
He emphasized that Ukrainian officials are actively sharing information about the breaches with international partners, including the U.S.
The energy ceasefire was intended to shield power infrastructure from attacks and has been in place since March 25. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of repeatedly disregarding the arrangement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 30-day pause of energy infrastructure strikes during a call with U.S. President Donald Trump on March 18, allegedly ordering a halt of attacks on Ukraine’s energy system.
The partial ceasefire agreed to in March also included a maritime truce in the Black Sea. As part of the arrangement, Washington pledged to help facilitate Russia’s agricultural and fertilizer exports by easing maritime insurance costs and improving access to ports and payment systems.
The Kremlin stated that its participation in the partial ceasefire in the Black Sea would only begin once certain Western sanctions were lifted.
Ukraine and the United States previously agreed to a complete 30-day ceasefire during talks in Jeddah on March 11. Russia rejected the proposal unless it included concessions that would undermine Kyiv’s ability to defend itself, including a full halt to foreign military aid.
While U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the war are ongoing, Ukrainian officials say Russia continues to insist on maximalist demands and has shown little willingness to pursue a comprehensive peace agreement. Kyiv maintains it is ready for a complete ceasefire if Moscow agrees to reciprocate.
Throughout the full-scale war, Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine’s power grid with missile and drone strikes. In response, Ukraine has used long-range drones to strike oil and gas facilities deep inside Russian territory.
The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko