Key facts
- Ukraine will target Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow's new doctrine of airstrikes.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that Russia's new military doctrine allows for attacks on a broader range of civilian targets to pressure people to leave cities.
- Ukraine has recaptured approximately 140 sq km of the Donbas region.
- Ukraine announced the first combat use of its domestically made ballistic missile, the FP-7.
- Ukraine is developing new interceptor drones to counter Russian Shahed drones.
Ukraine will escalate its attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to Moscow's alleged new policy of targeting civilian infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. He stated that Russia's aim is to pressure civilians to leave cities, but Ukraine will not target civilian objects indiscriminately.
Zelenskiy said Ukrainian intelligence had obtained documents indicating that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had issued a "new doctrine" of military attacks on a much broader range of civilian targets ahead of this winter. He claimed this was intended to pressure people to leave the capital and other cities.
Driving this shift, Zelenskiy said, was Putin's desire to appear strong amid military losses and higher casualties in a key frontline region. The Kremlin was not available for comment. The Russian Foreign Ministry, in a statement urging foreign nationals to leave Kyiv, said Moscow would continue systematic strikes in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks.
Zelenskiy also reported that an ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive, code-named "Vivaldi," had recaptured around 140 sq km (54 sq miles) of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. He noted that the US leader, Donald Trump, had previously urged Ukraine to refrain from hitting Russian oil installations due to surging global diesel prices.
Speaking amid air raid sirens, Zelenskiy said he had received no indications from Russia of interest in peace talks or discussing a ceasefire on energy infrastructure. He added that Ukraine would respond to Moscow's change in tactics by targeting their energy sector, specifically oil refiners, but would not target civilian infrastructure indiscriminately.
Ukraine announced the first combat use of its domestically made ballistic missile, the FP-7, with a range of approximately 250 km. Zelenskiy also mentioned that Ukraine is developing new interceptor drones capable of downing Russian Shahed drones, with tests showing a modest success rate of around 30% for two models. He expressed hope that these efforts would lead to a solution.
Zelenskiy also stated that Ukraine had found funding to proceed with orders for drones needed for 2027, working with European partners to address a $27 billion hole in Kyiv's defense budget through a combination of budget reallocation, bilateral assistance, and EU loan credits.