Zelensky says Putin has abandoned the rules of war by ordering civilian attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military commanders to abandon previous constraints on aerial attacks and intensify strikes on civilian targets. According to the Kyiv Post, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed details of intercepted Kremlin communications during an interview with the Financial Times. Zelensky stated that Putin explicitly declared “there are no rules now” when issuing instructions to intensify long-range bombardment campaigns across Ukraine.

Ukrainian intelligence agencies indicated that the directive was issued in September following stalled Russian battlefield progress in the Donbas region. Official Ukrainian records document over 4,700 attacks on educational institutions and more than 3,000 verified strikes on healthcare facilities since the invasion began. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied targeting civilian infrastructure, maintaining that Russian forces do not deliberately strike schools or hospitals.

Zelensky delivered his remarks from inside an underground bomb shelter at a Kyiv school struck by a jet-powered Russian drone. Over 104 students and 60 teachers survived the attack because they reached the underground shelter shortly before the weapon struck the facility. Authorities confirmed that the drone carried a 50-kilogram warhead that failed to detonate upon impact, though the strike caused structural damage and fire.

Target expansion and civilian impact

Ukrainian officials report that Russian forces previously focused long-range strikes primarily on military and energy infrastructure. Moscow intentionally expanded its target list to pressure civilians and force residents to evacuate major Ukrainian urban centers. Recent strikes damaged schools, healthcare facilities, warehouses, commercial enterprises, and vital telecommunications infrastructure in multiple cities.

A Russian drone strike damaged the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv earlier in the week. Russian forces also repeatedly attacked the Pivdennyi Bridge in Kyiv, causing significant damage to support columns and disrupting transportation across the Dnipro. An earlier attack on September 23 damaged key data centers in Kyiv, severely disrupting internet service for numerous local residents.

Analysts emphasize that deliberately attacking civilian objects constitutes a severe war crime under international humanitarian law. Ukrainian leadership maintains that these systematic strikes aim to demoralize the population and weaken national resistance against the ongoing invasion. Despite persistent aerial bombardments, civil defense teams continue repairing municipal infrastructure and maintaining essential public services across major cities.

Jet-powered drones and defensive challenges

Russian forces launched approximately 500 drones over a single day, with nearly half identified as advanced jet-powered models. Ukrainian air defense units intercepted 57% of jet-powered drones compared to between 85% and 90% of conventional propeller models. The higher speed of jet-powered weapons drastically reduces detection time and forces defense teams to expend expensive interception missiles.

American-supplied F-16 fighter jets have proven effective against these fast-moving aerial threats during recent engagements. However, approximately half of Ukraine’s F-16 fleet remains outside the country undergoing necessary maintenance and repair work. Kyiv is conducting field tests on five high-speed interceptor drone models to strengthen domestic air defense capabilities.

Defense officials hope to produce approximately 400 interceptor drones monthly by the end of October if engine supply shortages are resolved. Zelensky criticized Western governments for failing to apply sufficient economic and diplomatic pressure on Russian leadership to stop the war. The Ukrainian president emphasized that international partners possess the required leverage to increase the costs for Moscow but lack political will.

This article is made and published by Lauge Risom Koch, who may have used AI in the preparation