Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Vladimir Putin has declared a new phase of the war in which no rules apply, according to reports from several Polish news outlets. Gazeta reported that Zelensky said Putin had stated there are now no rules at all. The remarks were carried by Gazeta, Interia Wydarzenia, WP Wiadomości, RMF24 and Onet, which reported that Putin had issued an order to that effect.
According to the Polish outlets, Zelensky described the development as a new strategy on Putin's part and pointed to a planned peak in attacks. RMF24 reported that Putin had issued an order, quoting the phrase that there are no longer any rules. Onet reported that Zelensky accused Putin of opening a new stage of the war.
The reports do not specify what the alleged order contained or where and when Zelensky made his remarks. The Polish coverage presents his warning as a response to what he characterizes as a shift in Moscow's approach.
The reports were published on Friday, 2 October 2026.
What to watch next: whether Ukrainian officials provide further detail on the alleged order and on the timing of the attacks Zelensky says are being planned.
