Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has told Reuters that Ukrainian intelligence possesses documents which he says show a new Russian approach to airstrikes ahead of the winter months.
According to Zelenskiy, the documents indicate that Russian forces could target a wider range of infrastructure, including logistics facilities, roads, schools and hospitals. He said the alleged objective would be to put pressure on residents to leave Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Zelenskiy's comments came as Russia has intensified attacks on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine. Reuters reported that recent strikes have hit railway infrastructure, warehouses and fuel stations, while Ukraine has struggled to intercept newer, faster jet-powered drones.
The Ukrainian president also said Kyiv would respond by continuing attacks on Russian oil refineries and other energy-related targets, while maintaining that Ukraine would not deliberately target civilians.
Russia has rejected accusations that it deliberately targets civilians or civilian infrastructure. The Russian Foreign Ministry has described its recent attacks as retaliatory strikes following Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory.
The Kremlin had not immediately commented on Zelenskiy's claim about the intelligence documents when Reuters published its report. The existence and interpretation of the alleged documents have therefore not been independently established in the Reuters report.
The developments come as both sides prepare for another difficult winter, with attacks on energy and critical infrastructure posing a potential threat to millions of civilians across Ukraine.