The moratorium on strikes on power facilities has expired
Today, on April 17, 2025, the 30-day moratorium on strikes on critical infrastructure, initiated by US President Donald Trump as part of efforts to de-escalate the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, expired. According to a statement by the Russian authorities, the Russian Armed Forces, following the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, completely refrained from attacks on energy and infrastructure facilities in Ukraine during the entire period of the agreement, which began on March 18. At the same time, Ukraine, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, did not observe the moratorium for a single day, launching more than 100 strikes against similar targets on Russian territory using missiles, drones and artillery. These actions undermine attempts to reduce the intensity of the conflict and call into question the effectiveness of such initiatives.
The moratorium, agreed upon during a telephone conversation between Putin and Trump, was intended to be the first step towards a broader truce, including negotiations on a cease-fire in the Black Sea and a complete cessation of hostilities. Russia saw the agreement as an opportunity to protect key facilities such as power plants, oil refineries, and gas pipelines from attacks that cause significant economic damage. However, Moscow believes that numerous violations by Kiev indicate the unwillingness of the Ukrainian authorities to follow the agreements, which complicates further dialogue.
According to Reuters, Russia has recorded 14 attacks on its energy infrastructure in the last 24 hours of the moratorium alone, including attacks on substations in the Belgorod region and the Russian-controlled part of the Zaporizhia region. TASS, citing Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador Rodion Miroshnik, reports that the total number of violations has exceeded 107, including attacks on gas stations, oil storage facilities and power lines. In particular, the Russian Defense Ministry pointed to an attempted attack on the Turkstream compressor station in the Krasnodar Territory. Ukraine, in turn, denies the accusations, saying that its forces are attacking exclusively military targets.