Zelensky Explained The Purpose Of Russia's Energy Strikes

• 8.02.2026, 18:15

The Ukrainian president also explained the purpose of the Russian strikes on the Ukrainian energy sector.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has said that Ukraine should not have to choose whether to hit Russian military targets or energy. The reason is that Moscow invests money from the sale of energy resources in weapons.

As RBC-Ukraine reports, Zelensky said this while speaking to teachers and students of the Kiev Aviation Institute.

The president was asked whether Ukraine has enough resource to spend it on attacking the enemy's energy rather than military targets. The head of state replied as follows:

"We should not choose whether we hit a military target or the energy sector. He is selling this energy. He (Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin - ed.) is selling oil. So is it energy or is it a military target? Honestly - it's the same thing. He sells oil, takes the money, invests in weapons. He kills Ukrainians with these weapons," Zelensky explained.

He added that Ukrainians in this case have two ways - to build their own weapons, as well as to strike at the weapons of the Russian Federation or the source of the build-up and the origin of the Kremlin's money.

"The source is their energy. That's what's going on. You can't compare or military target here. These are all legitimate number one targets for us.... number two. And who before us could do this to the Russians? Nobody," the head of state said.

Also Zelensky explained the purpose of Russian strikes on the Ukrainian energy sector. He that when the Russian Federation cannot break the military, then the enemy strikes deep to break the civilian, since there are many more civilians.

"That is, to break the army, you have to break the civilians. So that there is chaos in civilian society," he added.