Ukraine Launches Massive 1,000-Drone Strike as Trump Criticizes Zelensky Over War Strategy
Ukraine fires 1,000 drones at Russian oil sites as tensions rise with the Trump administration over intelligence sharing and the ongoing conflict.
POLICY WIRE — Kyiv, Ukraine — Ukraine launched a massive aerial offensive involving more than 1,000 drones against Russian territory, resulting in significant fires at the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchi oil depot. The strikes, which also targeted a logistics center for Ozon and a data center for VK, left one person dead and five others injured, according to local Governor Alexander Beglov.
The escalation follows a period of friction between Kyiv and Washington. President Donald Trump recently condemned Ukraine’s focus on Russian oil refineries, labeling the strikes a disgrace. On Truth Social, Trump claimed that Zelensky does not want to end the war, stating, Zelensky doesn’t care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him, he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did.
Despite these tensions, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude that the U.S. has resumed intelligence sharing, which he noted had been blocked for three days during recent ballistic missile attacks. Zelensky told NBC that the U.S. government had also previously throttled Starlink satellite internet speeds to send a message to Kyiv, a move that hampered drone and air defense operations.
The diplomatic landscape remains volatile as reports emerge of a potential summit between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Xi Jinping. According to the Wall Street Journal, Putin suggested the meeting during an October 9 phone call with Trump, which also reportedly included a deal for the U.S. to facilitate the sale of Russian diesel on the global market.
On the ground, the conflict continues to claim civilian lives. A Russian air strike in Kyiv killed one woman and injured three others, damaging a 25-storey residential building and a medical facility. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the impact on the city’s infrastructure, including a subway station on the left bank.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s foreign ministry issued an apology to Lithuania after drones diverted into its airspace, citing Russian electronic warfare as the likely cause. In Germany, authorities are investigating a security breach at Leipzig airport after a vehicle reportedly tore through a perimeter fence, an incident occurring months after a previous drone-related security scare.
Zelensky warned that a shift in U.S. policy toward Russia would be a historic mistake. If the United States will officially take the side of Russia, if these two countries will be together, of course, we will not prevail, and we will not be able to stand, he said. He emphasized that he remains pragmatic, hoping the Trump administration will maintain support for Ukraine.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
