DISINFO: Russia respects ceasefires while Ukraine launches attacks on energy infrastructure
SUMMARY
Kyiv violated the agreement on a mutual cessation of strikes on energy facilities. Russia, despite the Kyiv regime's provocations, will continue to abide by the agreement. At the same time, [Russia] has launched a hunting operation specifically for (military) production, so that the enemy cannot accumulate resources during the truce.
[Russia] should not abandon the diplomatic solution to the issue. [Russia] promised not to strike energy facilities for a month, and it will keep its word. But if Ukraine does not stop its attacks, [Russia] will strike so hard that it will be difficult for it to get off its knees.
The enemy has neither the mind nor the patience to provoke [Russia] into retaliatory strikes. They are striking gas distribution and oil pumping stations in Stavropol. They don't even understand that [Russia] is leasing them to foreign companies.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets, claiming that Ukraine is not seeking peace. This claim was made in the context of the 30-day halt on energy infrastructure targets agreement, and aimed at shifting blame for the ongoing war.
Despite the fact that Putin agreed on 18 March 2025 not to target Ukrainian energy facilities, Russia carried out strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight on 19 March 2025. On 24 March 2025, Russia launched a missile attack on the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, damaging a residential area, a hospital, and an industrial facility, according to acting Sumy mayor Artem Kobzar. On 13 April 2025, at least 34 people have been killed and 117 injured in a Russian attack also on the city of Sumy, according to Ukrainian authorities, when two ballistic missiles struck the city. Twenty buildings were damaged, including cafes, shops and five apartment buildings.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of violating the U.S.-brokered partial ceasefire by attacking Kherson's energy infrastructure on March 27. Naftogaz, Ukraine's state-owned energy company, reported that Moscow struck its infrastructure on March 28.
As Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, Kyiv has every right to target military-related facilities in Russia in retaliation.
Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure, leaving millions without electricity and heating, especially during the winter months. The fact that Ukraine strikes back should not be seen as a failure to negotiate, but rather as a clear message that Ukraine will not passively tolerate Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression.
Russia has a long history of violating agreements. In 2014, Moscow breached the Budapest Memorandum and the Treaty on the Russian–Ukrainian Border by launching an attack on Ukraine and illegally annexing Crimea in 2014.
Subsequently, Moscow, along with its proxies in some of Ukraine’s eastern regions, repeatedly violated the Minsk Agreements while accusing Kyiv of the same. Ultimately, Russia escalated the conflict by launching its ongoing full-scale aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that Kyiv's attacks on Russia's energy sector prove Ukraine does not want to negotiate, Putin welcomes Ukraine talks, while Zelenskyy rejects them, that Ukrainian leaders cannot be negotiated with because they are illegitimate criminals and terrorists, and that Zelenskyy is the main obstacle to peace.