A Russian bomb reportedly took out power in a Ukrainian city just hours after President Vladimir Putin agreed in a call with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, to not strike energy infrastructure for 30 days while peace negotiations proceed.
The fresh Russian attack on a Ukrainian energy plant in Slovyansk was reported by local Telegram channels, The Kyiv Post, and The Wall Street Journal’s chief foreign affairs correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov Tuesday night.
The strike came shortly after Putin and Trump concluded a nearly two-hour-long phone call focused on Russia’s war on Ukraine. Both the White House and the Kremlin announced that the leaders reached an agreement that would halt Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
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“The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to the conflict to mutually refrain from attacks on energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days,” the Kremlin said. “Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the appropriate command.”
It remains unclear how the Russian attack on Slovyansk slipped through the cracks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that he did not have further information on the “partial ceasefire” agreement.
“I think it would be right if we had a conversation with President Trump and learned about the details of what the Russians offered the Americans, or what the Americans offered the Russians,” he said. “Ukraine will support any proposals that lead to a stable and just peace.”
Just hours later on Tuesday, Ukrainian military correspondent Bohdan Miroshnykov reported that Russia hit energy infrastructure in Slovyansk with an aerial bomb.
Military sources also told the Kyiv Post that part of the city, which lies in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk, had lost electricity.
Zelensky said in a Tuesday night post on X that Russian drones also hit civilian infrastructure in multiple cities, including Kyiv.
“It is these types of nighttime attacks by Russia that destroy our energy sector, our infrastructure, and the normal life of Ukrainians,” he wrote. “And the fact that this night is no exception shows that the pressure on Russia must continue for the sake of peace.”
Though the White House said Putin agreed to begin technical negotiations on a complete ceasefire and a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, the Russian leader stopped short of accepting a full stop to his war on Ukraine.
“Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire,” Zelensky said. “It would be right for the world to respond by rejecting any attempts by Putin to prolong the war.”
