Was Russian military leadership ordered to abandon the rules of war?

The information was originally published by the Financial Times, which spoke with the Ukrainian President, who cited intelligence obtained from intercepted Kremlin communications on October 1. There has been a sharp increase in strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine. The attacks are a response to successful Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, ports, and storage facilities. These strikes led to fuel shortages and a general sense of insecurity among Russians.

“He (Putin) said there are no rules now,” Zelenskyy stated. A strike on civilian infrastructure was reported on October 1, when a Russian drone hit a school in Kyiv, causing a fire to break out. Children were inside the school’s shelter at the time of the attack and, as of now, no casualties have been reported. Russians have also been targeting energy, communications, and commercial infrastructure across Ukraine.

Moscow has consistently denied deliberately targeting civilians; however, there have been frequent attacks on civilian infrastructure throughout the war. According to United24 Media, the number of Russian aerial strikes against Ukraine spiked in September, with 3,177 jet-powered drones launched compared to 2,850 in August.

There is a real possibility that Zelenskyy’s claims are at least partially true. Russia will intensify its aerial strikes before winter in order to pressure Ukraine into surrendering. These attacks are supposed to show Russia’s power and “prepare” Ukraine and the West for what could happen in winter. At that time, if winter were to be harsh, strikes on civilian infrastructure could be especially devastating.