--- title: "Zelensky claims Putin ordered military to ignore war rules" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/zelensky-claims-putin-ordered-military-to-ignore-war-rules" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/zelensky-claims-putin-ordered-military-to-ignore-war-rules" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/zelensky-claims-putin-ordered-military-to-ignore-war-rules.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/zelensky-claims-putin-ordered-military-to-ignore-war-rules" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Ukraine" published: "2026-10-02T07:05:10.971Z" source_reported: "2026-10-02T06:23:55.000Z" updated: "2026-10-02T07:05:10.971Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-02T08:30:21.184689+00:00" --- # Zelensky claims Putin ordered military to ignore war rules *Ukrainian president cites intercepted communications following surge in civilian facility attacks.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to Zelensky, with some details from FT and intercepted communications. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. Reporting includes quotes from Zelensky and Kremlin spokesperson, but lacks independent verification of key claims. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headline uses strong claims from Zelensky, with one outlet framing him as a victim. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Volodymyr Zelensky claims Putin ordered military leaders to disregard the rules of war. - Zelensky bases this claim on intercepted Russian communications. - The Ukrainian president made the assertion in an interview with the Financial Times. - The Financial Times reported finding Russian markings on drone debris at a Kyiv school. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military leaders to disregard the rules of war. Zelensky stated that this directive was issued in September and was based on intercepted Russian communications. He made these claims during an interview with the Financial Times, which took place in a school bomb shelter in Kyiv. Following this alleged order, Zelensky asserted that Russia significantly increased its attacks on civilian facilities, including schools and hospitals. The Financial Times reported that during their interview at a Kyiv school, they found debris from a drone attack bearing Russian markings. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denies that Russia attacks schools and hospitals. ## Disagreement on the order's existence Ekstra Bladet reported that the existence of the alleged order from Putin is not verified by independent sources. The other reports do not address whether the order has been independently verified. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated reports or the centre-rated report mention the Financial Times' finding of Russian markings on drone debris at the school where the interview took place. The full report from Yonhap News Agency did include this detail. ## Who covered it Shares of the 8 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 12% (1) - Right: 88% (7) 10 of 18 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-02T08:30:21.184689+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 7 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-02T09:00:06.827Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - The centre-rated report from Ekstra Bladet led with Zelensky's accusation that Putin is flouting the rules of war. It stated that Ukraine has intelligence regarding the order, which it claims was given in September. The report noted that the order's existence has not been verified by independent sources. It also included a denial from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov regarding attacks on schools and hospitals, and cited Reuters reporting on civilian casualties in Kyiv from Russian air strikes on the morning of the interview. ### Right - The right-rated reports from Yonhap News Agency, berlingske.dk, BT, Jyllands-Posten, and news-pravda.com all focused on Zelensky's claim that Putin ordered military leaders to ignore the rules of war. Yonhap News Agency, which published a full report, stated Zelensky based his claim on intercepted Russian communications and that Russia had increased attacks on civilian facilities afterwards. It also mentioned the Financial Times finding Russian markings on drone debris at the school where the interview took place. The digests from berlingske.dk, BT, and Jyllands-Posten highlighted Zelensky's assertion and the basis of intercepted communications. The news-pravda.com digest framed Zelensky as posing as a victim and mentioned the interview taking place in a school bomb shelter. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 1 - high: 6 - unknown: 10 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [parapolitika.gr](https://parapolitika.gr/diethni/article/1799952/zelenski-o-poutin-dietaxe-na-egataleifthoun-oi-kanones-tou-polemou-perissoteres-epitheseis-se-sholeia-kai-nosokomeia-eikones-video) — Zelensky: Putin Ordered the "Rules of War" to Be Abandoned - More Attacks on Schools and Hospitals (Images & Video) - [ГОЛОВНА](https://glavcom.ua/country/incidents/putin-nakazav-rosijskim-vijskovim-zavdavati-udariv-bez-obmezhen-zelenskij-1146633.html) — Putin Orders Russian Military to Strike without Restrictions - [ТСН.ua](https://tsn.ua/politika/putin-nakazav-svoyiy-armiyi-vidmovytysia-vid-pravyl-viyny-zelenskyy-3179846.html) — Putin Ordered His Army to Abandon the “Rules of War” - [OnAlert](https://onalert.gr/kosmos/zelenski-stous-ft-o-poutin-edose-entoli-stous-stratiotikous-tou-na-egkataleipsoun-tous-kanones-tou-polemou/823496) — Zelensky to FT: Putin Ordered Abandonment of Rules of War in Ukraine - [knews.media](https://knews.media/2026/10/02/putin-orders-military-to-disregard-rules-of-war) — Putin Orders Military to Disregard ‘Rules of War’ - [Protothema](https://protothema.gr/world/article/1888195/zelenski-o-poutin-dietaxe-na-egataleifthoun-oi-kanones-tou-polemou-auxithikan-oi-epitheseis-se-sholeia-kai-nosokomeia) — Zelensky: Putin Ordered the Abandonment of the "Rules of War" - Attacks on Schools and Hospitals Increased - [corren.se](https://corren.se/nyheter/utrikes/ukraina/artikel/ukraina-putin-uppmanar-till-krigsbrott/jo5dn9ql) — Ukraine: Putin Calls for War Crimes - [Svenska Dagbladet](https://svd.se/a/WgLpKG/ukraina-putin-uppmanar-till-krigsbrott) — Ukraine: Putin Calls for War Crimes - [Document](https://document.no/2026/10/02/zelenskyj-putin-beordrer-militaere-ledere-til-a-se-bort-fra-krigens-regler) — Zelensky: Putin Orders Military Leaders to Disregard the Rules of War - [Nettavisen](https://nettavisen.no/nyheter/zelenskyj-putin-beordrer-militare-ledere-til-a-se-bort-fra-krigens-regler/s/80-95-126666) — Zelensky: Putin Orders Leaders to Ignore the Rules of War - [avisendanmark.dk](https://avisendanmark.dk/udland/zelenskyj-putin-har-givet-ordre-om-at-se-bort-fra-krigens-regler) — Zelensky: Putin Has Given Orders to Disregard the Rules of War - [Kristeligt Dagblad](https://kristeligt-dagblad.dk/udland/zelenskyj-putin-har-givet-ordre-om-se-bort-fra-krigens-regler) — Zelensky: Putin Has Given Orders to Disregard the Rules of War - [berlingske.dk](https://berlingske.dk/internationalt/zelenskyj-putin-har-givet-ordre-om-at-se-bort-fra-krigens-regler) — Zelensky: Putin Has Given Orders to Disregard the Rules of War - [BT](https://bt.dk/udland/zelenskyj-putin-har-givet-ordre-om-at-se-bort-fra-krigens-regler) — Zelensky: Putin Has Given Orders to Disregard the Rules of War - [Jyllands-Posten](https://jyllands-posten.dk/international/europa/ECE19700124/zelenskyj-putin-har-givet-ordre-om-at-se-bort-fra-krigens-regler) — Zelenskyy: We Have Intercepted Controversial Order From Putin - [연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency](https://yna.co.kr/view/AKR20261002115600009) — Zelenskyy: "Attacks on Civilian Facilities Surge Following Putin's 'No Rules of War' Order" - [Ekstra Bladet](https://ekstrabladet.dk/nyheder/zelenskyj-putin-blaeser-paa-krigens-regler/11307593) — Zelensky: Putin Is Flouting the Rules of War - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/10/02/2635297.html) — ‘Putin ordered the military to abandon the rules of war, and the Americans and Europeans are not doing enough" – Zelensky poses as a victim on the pages of the Financial Times ## Questions **What does Volodymyr Zelensky claim Vladimir Putin has ordered?** Volodymyr Zelensky claims that Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian military leaders to disregard the rules of war. Zelensky stated that this directive was issued in September and was based on intercepted Russian communications. **What evidence does Zelensky cite for his claim?** Zelensky cites intercepted Russian communications as the basis for his claim that Putin ordered military leaders to ignore the rules of war. He stated that Ukraine's intelligence services intercepted these communications. **Where did the interview with Zelensky take place?** The interview with Volodymyr Zelensky was conducted by the Financial Times in a school bomb shelter in Kyiv. The Financial Times reported finding Russian markings on drone debris at the school. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/zelensky-claims-putin-ordered-military-to-ignore-war-rules. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Zelensky claims Putin ordered military to ignore war rules", https://mediabias.news/conflict/zelensky-claims-putin-ordered-military-to-ignore-war-rules