Zelensky said Ukrainian special services had obtained documents that allegedly show Vladimir Putin has approved a new doctrine authorizing strikes on civilian targets.
"We have seen the documents and we know that strikes on infrastructure and logistics are permitted, and above all attacks on cities and villages, hitting everywhere: roads, schools, hospitals. Forcing people to leave the capital and other cities is the goal of this operation," Zelensky said. He previously described the alleged doctrine to the Financial Times. The Kremlin has not commented on his remarks.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine will respond to strikes on its energy sector with attacks on Russia's energy sector, primarily oil refineries, which he said "give them the money for this war." The president stressed that the Ukrainian side, unlike the Russian side, does not intend to strike civilian targets.
Separately, Zelensky said he had demanded that the company Fire Point speed up work on the long-range FP-9 ballistic missile. "I told them: where is my FP-9? We need the FP-9," Reuters quoted him as saying. According to the president, the missile will be ready this autumn.
The manufacturer says the FP-9 has a range of up to 855 km and a warhead weighing up to 800 kg. That would allow the missile to reach Moscow. Fire Point co-founder and chief designer Denys Shtilerman said in June that Ukrainian ballistic missiles could begin being used to strike Moscow as early as the autumn.
Earlier this week, Zelensky announced the first combat use of another Fire Point missile, the FP-7 tactical ballistic missile with a range of 200 km. According to him, the next stage should be its mass production.
Over the past week, Kyiv has come under continuous missile and drone attacks. Energy and communications facilities, road and railway infrastructure were hit. Russia is also striking bridges across the Dnipro that connect the two parts of the city for the first time.
On October 3, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the Russian side had called on foreign citizens and diplomats in Kyiv to leave the city back in May. "We note that not everyone heeded these warnings and is consciously exposing their lives to mortal danger. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will continue to deliver massive retaliatory strikes," the statement said.