Zelenskyy Reveals Putin Ordered Abandonment of Rules of War

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian intelligence intercepted communications from September showing Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military leaders to abandon the rules of war. Zelenskyy stated that Putin declared "there are no rules now," signaling a tactical shift toward intensified strikes on civilian targets, including schools, hospitals, and data centers. This escalation follows Russian failures to capture territory in the Donbas and serves as a response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and ports.

Russia has deployed faster jet-powered drones that are more difficult to intercept than conventional models, reducing Ukraine's success rate from roughly 90% to 57%. In response, Ukraine is testing five high-speed interceptor drone models, including the Zorelit v5, which reaches 416 kilometers per hour. Zelenskyy noted that while F-16 jets are effective against these threats, maintenance delays in Europe have limited their availability. He identified engine imports and budget gaps as primary obstacles to scaling production.

Kyiv currently faces between 300 and 500 Russian attacks daily. Zelenskyy asserted these strikes target non-military locations to paralyze the city and force residents to flee. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied that Russian forces strike schools or hospitals. Meanwhile, Russia warned it would use its full arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if NATO attempts to isolate the Kaliningrad exclave, a threat NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte urged Moscow to cease.