Zelenskyy: Russia wants a blackout; 76 strikes launched on energy infrastructure just a week after Trump's "truce"

A week after US President Donald Trump announced an "energy truce," Russia has launched 76 attacks on Ukraine's energy, oil, and gas sectors, leaving tens of thousands of families without electricity, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated.

“Since the US President announced the energy truce a week ago, [Russia] has purposefully struck Ukrainian energy and the oil and gas sector 76 times,” Zelenskyy said.

According to him, on the night of October 18, Russian troops launched strikes on substations in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, and Odesa regions. Due to the attacks, tens of thousands of families were left without electricity. Power engineers and repair crews are working around the clock to restore the damaged facilities and bring light back to consumers.

In addition, at night, the Russians attacked residential buildings in the Ukrainian region. As a result of the shelling, two people were killed and 12 others were wounded. Two children are among the casualties. In the morning, an agricultural enterprise in Volyn also came under strike. Relevant services are working on the spot.

“The main targets of these strikes are precisely the energy sector; the Russians are trying to create a blackout. And America must see that Russia is not making steps forward in response to the lifting of sanctions or agreements,” Zelenskyy noted.

According to him,落 Moscow perceives signals about potential economic benefits or deals as a sign that continuing the war could be advantageous for it.

“It is precisely because of this position of Russia that the war continues, and not because Ukraine is justly defending itself. It is Russia that must be pressured so that the world has a chance. Thank you to everyone who understands this and helps,” the President stated.

As a background, on October 11, US President Donald Trump claimed that Ukraine and Russia had allegedly agreed to stop attacking each other's energy facilities. On the same day, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv had not agreed to a ceasefire with Moscow, but Ukraine was ready to support it if Russia also halted its attacks.