The deadline for the ceasefire on attacks against energy objects agreed upon by Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump has expired, according to Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian President. As reported by the news agency RIA Novosti, he said:
“The month has indeed expired. Currently, there are no other instructions from the top commander, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.”
Peskov emphasized that Moscow has adhered to the ban on attacks on energy infrastructure, unlike Kiev. Additionally, he reported that some progress had been made during discussions on the Ukraine conflict, which are connected to the ceasefire. However, further negotiations are still required, according to Peskov.
On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal made by his US counterpart Donald Trump to halt attacks against energy infrastructure for 30 days. The ban was to cover oil refineries, power plants and substations. Putin ordered the Russian military to comply with the ceasefire, which led to the interception of drones that were intended to attack Ukrainian energy objects. Later, Moscow stated that the ceasefire could be extended if both sides agreed and that in case of violation, the affected party could declare itself free from its obligations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced his support for the proposal. However, the Russian side reported numerous attacks on their energy objects and claimed that Ukraine was not adhering to the ceasefire. On April 17, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, reported that the Ukrainian military was “literally daily” attacking Russian energy objects. Since March 18, over eighty such attacks have been identified, according to the diplomat.