Putin Orders Generals to Target Civilians, Nuclear Sites, Zelensky Claims

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his generals to discard wartime rules and intensify attacks on civilian targets and nuclear energy facilities, according to Ukrainian officials.

"He [Putin] said there are no rules now," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with the Financial Times. Zelensky, speaking from a bomb shelter at a school in Kyiv, indicated that Ukrainian intelligence has intercepted information suggesting Russia has removed constraints on its air strikes as it seeks to regain an advantage after more than four years of conflict.

These attacks are intended not only to destroy infrastructure but also to create fear among civilians, Zelensky said. He characterized Putin's current strategy as pursuing "massive attack[s], massive killing," especially as the front lines have largely become static and Russia has been unable to achieve its objectives in the eastern Donbas region.

Ukrainian intelligence reports indicate that Putin issued this directive in September, coinciding with Russia's escalation of air strikes on Kyiv. These attacks have reportedly targeted civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. Russia's strategy also aims to intensify assaults on major Ukrainian cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Odesa, with the goal of isolating them as winter approaches. Furthermore, Moscow reportedly intends to strike nuclear facilities and disconnect them from the energy grid to pressure Ukraine into accepting Russian demands in early 2027.

Kyiv also suggests that Russia's destabilization efforts include creating a new wave of Ukrainian refugees into neighboring countries, potentially exacerbating anti-immigrant sentiments. Zelensky made these remarks from a school in Kyiv that had recently been hit by a Russian jet-powered drone. He noted that Russia had launched approximately 500 drones in the preceding day, with about half being jet-powered and more difficult to intercept.

Ukraine is reportedly seeking to bolster its air defenses, but faces a shortage of engines for drone interceptors. Zelensky highlighted the effectiveness of U.S.-made F-16 jets against Russia's advanced drones, but noted that a significant portion of these aircraft require repairs and maintenance abroad. Ukraine's goal is to establish F-16 maintenance capabilities within the country to expedite the return of these jets to combat operations.

These developments follow months of Ukrainian operations targeting Russian infrastructure, including oil refineries, ports, and industrial sites, which have reportedly led to fuel shortages and economic damage in Russia. Zelensky, however, has criticized the U.S. and European nations for not exerting sufficient economic and diplomatic pressure on Moscow to end the war.

The Kremlin maintains that its forces do not deliberately target civilian infrastructure, despite evidence to the contrary. Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated that Russia's armed forces do not strike schools or hospitals. However, the World Health Organization has documented over 3,000 attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities, and Ukraine's Ministry of Education reports that more than 4,700 educational institutions have been hit since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.