Putin Promises to ‘Eliminate’ Ukrainian Forces Following Violation of U.S.-Supported Black Sea Ceasefire – One America News Network
OAN Staff James Meyers
10:36 AM – Friday, March 28, 2025
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin intensified hostilities by commanding troops to “finish off” Ukrainian military forces. This directive followed his earlier orders to launch strikes on a Ukrainian energy facility, a move that contradicted the U.S.-endorsed “partial” ceasefire in the Black Sea.
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Russian military units targeted an outpost in Kherson on Thursday, an action that contravened the agreement prohibiting military operations in the Black Sea and the cessation of long-range attacks on energy infrastructure.
In earlier discussions with U.S. officials, Russia had indicated that the ceasefire was to be effective for 30 days, with options for extension or withdrawal if one party failed to comply. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had proposed that if either side believed the other was in breach, they should consult with the U.S. to resolve the matter.
Regardless, the Russian leader, who had previously stated that strikes on Ukrainian energy targets in the Black Sea would cease, has now urged his forces to continue their advance into Ukrainian territory.
“I mentioned not long ago: ‘We will finish them off.’ There are reasons to believe that we will finish them off,” Putin asserted during the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, as reported by the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“We are moving steadily towards achieving all the goals outlined at the start of the special operation, albeit not as quickly as some might wish,” added the Kremlin’s leader.
Furthermore, on Friday, Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia “reserves the right not” to adhere to the ceasefire regarding strikes on energy facilities.
“The Russian side reached agreements with its U.S. counterparts,” Peskov explained. “At the same time, the Russian side [also] reserves the right to disregard it if the Kyiv regime fails to comply, certainly.” Peskov’s comments imply that Russia has accused Ukraine of violating the secondary Black Sea agreement.
This situation arises as the Trump administration has been tirelessly striving to restore peace between Russia and Ukraine, aiming for a lasting resolution as soon as feasible.
With both countries trading accusations of violating the ceasefire, many are beginning to question whether the United States’ efforts to foster a more robust peace process are in vain.
After discussions in Saudi Arabia this week, the White House indicated that both nations had informed U.S. officials they were committed to “developing measures to implement the agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities in Russia and Ukraine.”
However, these talks were conducted separately at Russia’s request. Despite both Ukrainian and Russian delegations being present in Saudi Arabia concurrently, they did not engage with each other.
The Trump administration has underscored the necessity for both sides to first “build confidence” in one another, achievable only if they both unequivocally adhere to the limited ceasefires, as articulated by Special Presidential Envoy to Ukraine General Keith Kellogg in an interview with The New York Post on Tuesday.
“President Trump envisions both Ukraine and Russia engaging in joint talks,” Kellogg noted. “The timing and method of these discussions will depend on what we refer to as confidence-building measures over time.”
In the meantime, various international leaders have voiced suspicions that Putin is merely stalling ceasefire discussions without any real intention of ending the conflict.
Trump has also recently criticized Russia for “dragging their feet” in negotiations after Putin promptly reneged on his assurances and executed a drone strike on Mykolaiv, a southern Ukrainian port city near the Black Sea.
During the Murmansk summit, Putin called for Zelensky’s ouster and disclosed plans to establish a “transitional administration … to facilitate a democratic presidential election that would lead to a competent government that commands public trust, followed by peace negotiations with these authorities and the signing of legitimate agreements.”
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