Russia launched strikes on Ukrainian cities, including an attack on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia that killed 15 people, including three children, a day after US President Donald Trump agreed to help Russian diesel fuel reach global markets following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bloomberg reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the strikes as Russia’s way of “saying thank you” for the easing of restrictions on diesel exports. In a social media post on Saturday, he criticised the US decision, arguing that it would give Moscow additional revenue to sustain its war against Ukraine.

Trump said on Friday that increasing Russian diesel supplies to global markets would help lower fuel costs for American farmers, ranchers and truckers, key voting blocs ahead of next month’s US midterm elections.

The Russian strikes extended beyond Zaporizhzhia. Russian forces launched 160 drones at Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine’s Air Force Command. Ukrainian forces intercepted most of them, but some drones breached air defences and hit targets across 14 settlements, the command said.

Russian attacks also caused widespread power outages in Kyiv and the surrounding region on Saturday, energy company DTEK said. Water supplies in parts of the capital were also disrupted after a Russian strike hit an energy facility near Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, without identifying the site.

Zelenskyy said the US decision to facilitate Russian diesel exports was a mistake that would help finance Moscow’s military campaign.

“It only feeds Putin and gives him the ability to fight even more,” he said in audio comments sent to reporters via WhatsApp on Friday evening.

Diesel deal comes amid Ukraine peace talks

Trump’s agreement with Putin came as Ukrainian negotiators were in Florida for peace talks. Zelenskyy said the discussions could consider a potential ceasefire on attacks against energy infrastructure as a first step towards ending the war.

However, he questioned whether Ukraine’s participation in the negotiations was being used to create an impression of progress while Washington pursued its own discussions with Moscow.

“I believe our team is simply being used as a smokescreen,” Zelenskyy said. “And that is certainly not fair. It is certainly not how partners should treat each other.”