Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pledged to escalate attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to a recent shift in Moscow’s strategy involving air strikes aimed at forcing residents to abandon Kyiv and other urban centers. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine’s countermeasures would avoid targeting civilian infrastructure indiscriminately.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine’s intelligence services have obtained documents revealing that Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a new military doctrine permitting attacks on a wider array of civilian targets this winter. These targets reportedly include infrastructure, logistics hubs, schools, hospitals, and roads, with the apparent objective of pressuring populations to evacuate major cities. Zelensky linked this change in tactics to Putin's desire to project strength amid setbacks and rising casualties on Russian frontlines.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, while unavailable for direct comment on the new doctrine, urged foreign nationals to leave Kyiv and stated that Moscow would continue to conduct retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian targets in response to recent attacks on Russian territory. Both Ukraine and Russia deny that they intentionally target civilians.
Zelensky also provided an update on the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive, code-named "Vivaldi," which has reclaimed approximately 140 square kilometers in the eastern Donbas region. Russia continues to assert that it must control Donbas entirely as a condition for any peace agreement.
Despite recent efforts by the United States to revive peace talks after four years of conflict, Zelensky reported no indication from Russia that it is willing to pursue negotiations or agree to a ceasefire focused on energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian capital has faced persistent drone and missile attacks targeting energy, telecommunications, and transportation networks. Notably, Russian forces have, for the first time, targeted bridges spanning the Dnipro River that connect eastern and western Kyiv.
In response, Zelensky stressed Ukraine’s intent to retaliate proportionally, focusing on Russian energy facilities such as oil refineries that help finance Moscow’s war effort, while refraining from indiscriminate attacks on civilian structures.
Zelensky also urged Western nations not to normalize relations with Russia before a durable peace is achieved, cautioning that economic and diplomatic ties should only resume once hostilities cease. This statement followed recent overtures from the Trump administration, which invited Putin to the G20 summit scheduled for December in Miami and discussed possible business engagements with Russian officials.
Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia has amassed hundreds of ballistic missiles in preparation for intensified attacks on critical infrastructure like electricity and water supplies during the winter months. Since the summer, Moscow has escalated its use of fast, jet-powered Shahed drones, which have challenged Ukrainian air defenses due to their speed. Ukraine is seeking to enhance its electronic jamming capabilities and expects to receive shipments of new air defense missiles designed to counter these drones by mid-October.
In a recent development, Ukraine deployed its domestically produced FP-7 ballistic missile with a range of about 250 kilometers. Zelensky indicated he has pressured the manufacturer, Fire Point, to accelerate development of a longer-range model, the FP-9, purportedly capable of striking targets deep inside Russia, including Moscow. He expressed confidence that the FP-9 would be ready by autumn.
Zelensky further suggested that recent Russian drone incursions and hybrid attacks across Europe aim to intimidate European populations and weaken support for Ukraine’s government. He noted a growing recognition among some European leaders of these tactics and a hardening of their stance. Moscow has denied these allegations, characterizing them as unfounded and driven by anti-Russian hysteria.