Ukrainian strikes torched an oil export terminal and depot in St. Petersburg on Sunday as kyiv launched more than 1,000 drones on Russia in one of the largest air attacks of the war.
The strikes came then tensions between Ukraine and Washington US President Donald Trump has criticized kyiv’s attacks on Russian oil infrastructure and the prospect of new US sanctions against Moscow remains uncertain.
Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said lifting sanctions on Russia would bolster Putin’s war effort. He also said that intelligence sharing between the United States and Ukraine had resumed after being “stalled for some time.”
Trump told reporters Saturday evening that they did not know what his decision would be about. new sanctions against Russia this would be the case, despite the signing of an executive order on Friday evening waiving the planned restrictions, citing American national interests.
Zelensky said that while he trusted Trump, siding with Moscow would be a tragedy and a “historic mistake” for Washington.
“People want to forget what is happening. But we cannot give this possibility to forget, or to change reality, or to change the truth,” Zelensky said. “We cannot compare ourselves to Putin. He is an aggressor. He occupied us. He killed adults and children, his soldiers. He is a terrorist. And that is why I hope that President Trump will be very clear with this position.”
Later Sunday, Zelensky said on social media that he had spoken with U.S. presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the results of an Oct. 9 meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian negotiating teams in Miami, as well as “next diplomatic steps.”
Two dead in trade tensions between Russia and Ukraine
One person was killed and five others injured in the St. Petersburg attack, which sparked fires at the St. Petersburg oil terminal and the Ruchi oil depot, local governor Alexander Beglov said. A logistics center owned by Russian retailer Ozon and a data center operated by Russian tech giant VK were also targeted, the companies confirmed.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday its forces destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones in 15 Russian regions, Ukraine’s annexed Crimea peninsula and the Black Sea.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s official Tass news agency that kyiv was “resisting” Moscow’s invasion but could not “change the current course of events.”
In Ukraine, a woman was killed and a 6-year-old girl among at least two others injured in two Russian attacks on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, local officials said Sunday.
Russia continues its energy attacks, according to kyiv
Trump announced on October 11 that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an “energy ceasefire” the 4 and a half year warbut provided no details. Kyiv reported Russian attacks on energy sites continue after Trump’s announcement, and said Thursday it had resumed strikes on Russian oil facilities after a three-day pause.
Zelenskyy wrote on X on Sunday that Russia had attacked Ukraine’s energy, oil and gas sectors 76 times in the week since Trump’s announcement. The Ukrainian government initially said it respected the ceasefire.
Energy facilities in four Ukrainian regions were destroyed overnight, leaving tens of thousands of families without power, he said, accusing Russia of trying to cause a blackout.
“America should see that Russia is not taking any reciprocal action in response to sanctions relief or agreements. Rather, they are taking every signal of opportunity to make money as proof that their gamble on war is paying off and they can continue to fight,” he wrote.
Zelensky also stressed that the war was continuing because of the Russian invasion and not because of Ukraine’s defense efforts. “It is Russia that must face pressure if peace has a chance. »
Ukraine apologizes to Lithuania for drone alert
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry apologized Sunday after a drone entered Lithuanian airspace, prompting authorities to issue an air raid warning.
Russian electronic warfare may have hijacked the drone during a Ukrainian operation against legitimate military targets in Russia, ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said in a statement.
Lithuanian authorities urged residents of two northern counties along the Latvian border to take shelter early on Sunday due to a possible drone incursion, public broadcaster LRT reported.
A drone entered the northern Pasvalys region and damaged a moving car, LRT said, citing Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center. No injuries were reported.
___
Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Gn usa
