Russia reportedly lifts unofficial ban on targeting Zelensky and Ukraine's leadership
The reports, citing pro-Kremlin outlets, tie the shift to repeated Ukrainian drone strikes on the Baltic port of Ust-Luga.
Pro-Kremlin news outlets report that Russia's Security Council lifted an unofficial ban on killing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his top generals. The reported decision came during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
According to the reports, repeated Ukrainian strikes on Ust-Luga, a Baltic Sea oil export hub near St. Petersburg, were a key factor. Ust-Luga has been a major export route for Russian oil, helping the Kremlin get around international sanctions. Officials reportedly warned that Russia was running short of money to defend against drones. The Leningrad region alone reportedly spent 24 billion rubles, close to $300 million, on air defense.
Officials reportedly said heavy hypersonic weapons could be used against bunkers and motorcades carrying Ukrainian leaders. The Kremlin had tried to kill Zelensky early in the war in 2022, but those attempts ended the following year when Putin promised, through mediators, to stop. The security meeting followed a two-hour call between Putin and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
By the numbers
- 24 billion rublesreportedly spent by the Leningrad region on air defense, close to $300 million
- 10ththe number of recent strikes reportedly hitting Ust-Luga
Key points
- The reports say the decision followed Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.
- The claims come from pro-Kremlin outlets and anonymous sources and have not been independently confirmed in this account.
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