Russia strikes Kharkiv's TEC-5 power plant despite declared energy ceasefire, Zelenskyy says
Russia struck the TEC-5 energy facility in the Kharkiv region on the evening of 11 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his evening video address, despite an "energy ceasefire" previously announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. The strike, carried out with Shahed drones and aerial bombs, forms part of a reported week of more than 200 Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and at least 150 civilian deaths.
Key points
- A hit was recorded on the territory of the TEC-5 energy facility near Kharkiv on the evening of 11 October.
- President Zelenskyy said in his evening address that Russia struck TEC-5 on 11 October.
- According to Zelenskyy, Russians attacked with Shahed drones and aerial bombs during the day.
- Over the preceding week, Russian forces carried out more than 200 strikes on Ukrainian electricity generation and transmission facilities, plus 17 strikes on gas and oil facilities.
- Russian strikes killed 150 civilians and wounded more than 700 in that same week.
- The U.S. president had previously stated that Ukraine and Russia agreed to an "energy ceasefire."
- Zelenskyy said Ukraine supports a genuine energy ceasefire and expects reciprocal Russian restraint and a corresponding U.S. agreement.
Why it matters
The strike on a critical energy facility in Kharkiv directly challenges the credibility of the "energy ceasefire" that U.S. President Donald Trump said Ukraine and Russia had agreed to. Beyond the immediate infrastructure damage, it fits a reported pattern of more than 200 Russian attacks on Ukrainian power generation and transmission in the preceding week, accompanied by 150 civilian deaths, underscoring the gap between announced restraint and continued bombardment.
What happened
On the evening of 11 October, a series of explosions was heard in a Kharkiv suburb, and a hit was recorded on the territory of the TEC-5 energy facility in the Kharkiv region. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the strike in his evening video address, attributing it to Russia and saying Russian forces attacked with Shahed drones and aerial bombs during the day. The strike came despite U.S. President Donald Trump's previous statement that Kyiv and Moscow had agreed to an "energy ceasefire." Ukrainian reporting framed the incident as part of a broader week-long Russian campaign that included more than 200 strikes on Ukrainian electricity generation and transmission facilities, 17 strikes on gas and oil facilities, 150 civilian deaths, and more than 700 wounded.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets centered the story on a direct Russian violation of the energy ceasefire announced by the U.S. president. They highlighted Zelenskyy's public response, set the TEC-5 strike within a week of more than 200 attacks on energy infrastructure and a high civilian toll, and stressed Ukraine's stated readiness to observe an energy ceasefire while placing responsibility for the ceasefire's breakdown on Russia.
Background
Zelenskyy publicly reported the strike and framed it as a Russian breach of the energy ceasefire previously announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. Ukraine has said it is prepared to refrain from striking Russian energy infrastructure and expects reciprocal restraint from Russia, together with a corresponding U.S. commitment, in order to make any such arrangement hold.