Kharkiv power plant struck hours after Trump's energy ceasefire
Taurean Small's White House report ties the attack to a growing bipartisan dispute over the president's diesel deal with Russia.
Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 162,814 views a day, 14 times a normal first day on this channel (11,211).
Trump announces Russia-Ukraine energy ceasefire, Russia later strikes Ukraine
An agreement meant to protect energy infrastructure, then a strike on it: that is the sequence at the center of the CBS Weekend News report now drawing an unusually large audience on CBS Evening News. Anchor Jericka Duncan opens with President Trump's announcement of an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Hours later, Russian forces hit a neighborhood in Kharkiv, including a power plant.
From the White House, Taurean Small turns to the deal surrounding that announcement. Trump is shown welcoming Russian diesel into the country: "That is massive amounts of oil coming into our country, and I want to thank President Putin." Small sets out the terms: 300,000 tons now, more in November and up to a million tons after that.
Henrietta Treyz of Veda Partners doubts the shipments will matter much at the pump. "It's not enough to move the needle because Russia doesn't have that much to give away," she says. Volodymyr Zelenskyy argues that money paid to Russia funds the war against his country. Trump, in turn, accuses the Ukrainian leader of making problems for American farmers and ranchers over diesel.
The opposition crosses party lines. Six senators cite a 2022 ban on Russian imports, and Republican Thom Tillis says there is "a legitimate case for saying the president's not following the law." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defends the deal as legal.
The Short reached about 163,000 views in its first day, and its comments arrived roughly sixteen times faster than usual, with much of the discussion asking how the purchase fits with sanctions on Russian oil. The channel's full weekend broadcast, led by Hurricane Isaias and the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, also started well above its usual pace.
Published on Trari
Where next?
- Channel
- CBS Evening News
- Subscribers
- 2,420,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 5,739,971
- Video published
- October 12, 2026
- Video views so far
- 181,710 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 139,727
The numbers
This Short started far faster than a typical CBS Evening News Short, with comments arriving at an even faster pace.



