Russia Says Ukraine Continues to Strike Energy Infrastructure Daily Despite Moratorium

Russia, the world’s second biggest oil exporter, said on Wednesday that Ukraine continued to strike Russian energy infrastructure on a daily basis, in violation of a U.S.-brokered 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure.

Ukraine and Russia agreed on March 18 to stop attacking each other’s energy facilities, although President Vladimir Putin declined to endorse a full 30-day ceasefire that his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump had hoped would be a first step toward a permanent peace deal.

Russia and Ukraine have both accused each other of violating the pause on strikes since then.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry, said Ukraine was striking Russian energy installations on a daily basis.

“Contrary to its own statements about supporting the 30-day moratorium on striking energy facilities… the Kyiv regime continues to cynically carry out daily strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure,” Zakharova said.

“The Russian side strictly adheres to the ban on attacks.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week said Russia had launched a drone attack at a thermal power plant in the city of Kherson.

On NATO, Zakharova said members of the U.S.-led military alliance were planning radical defence spending increases in preparation for a possible conflict with Russia.

“The alliance still believes that our country is a long-term threat and will remain so even after the end of the Ukrainian conflict,” Zakharova said. “The North Atlantic Alliance is openly throwing oil onto the fire of the conflict”

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov Writing by Lucy Papachristou and Felix Light; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)