An influential MEP from the European People's Party has issued a stark warning that Russia's military campaign in Ukraine has entered a more indiscriminate phase, with President Vladimir Putin now treating "everything" as a target. The remarks, made on Tuesday, come as European capitals brace for another winter of strikes on Ukrainian energy grids and civilian infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters in Strasbourg, the EPP lawmaker, who sits on the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, argued that the Kremlin has abandoned any remaining pretence of military precision. "From power plants to grain silos, from hospitals to residential blocks, nothing is off the table," he said. "This is not a war of territorial conquest anymore; it is a war of attrition against the Ukrainian people."
A shift in Russian strategy
The warning aligns with recent assessments from Ukrainian military intelligence and Western analysts, who point to a marked increase in missile and drone strikes against critical infrastructure across the country. In the past month, attacks have hit substations in Lviv, a hydroelectric facility near Zaporizhzhia, and a railway hub in Dnipro, causing widespread blackouts and disrupting supply chains that feed both civilian and military needs.
The EPP MEP stressed that the European Union's response must adapt accordingly. "We cannot keep sending the same level of support and expect a different outcome," he said. "Ukraine needs long-range air defence systems, artillery ammunition, and the political will to use them without arbitrary restrictions." His comments echo growing frustration among some EU member states, particularly in the Baltics and Scandinavia, over what they see as overly cautious decision-making in Brussels.
Diplomatic sources indicate that the issue will dominate the agenda at the upcoming European Council meeting, where leaders are expected to discuss a new €20 billion support package for Kyiv. However, unanimity remains elusive, with Hungary continuing to block certain military assistance measures. The MEP did not name Budapest directly but noted that "one or two capitals" were still prioritising narrow economic interests over collective security.
Winter preparedness and civilian toll
Ukrainian authorities have already begun emergency preparations for the cold season, distributing generators and insulation materials to vulnerable households. The World Health Organization has warned that prolonged power outages could trigger a humanitarian crisis, with millions of people at risk of hypothermia and waterborne diseases. The EPP MEP called on the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism to scale up deliveries of heating equipment and medical supplies before temperatures drop further.
Meanwhile, the human cost continues to mount. The UN's human rights office reported on Monday that at least 12,000 civilians have been killed since the full-scale invasion began, though the true figure is likely higher. The MEP described the situation as "a test of Europe's credibility," adding that "if we allow Ukraine to freeze in the dark, we are complicit in Putin's strategy."
The warning also carries implications for the wider European security order. As the EU frames its COP31 push around energy security, the war has accelerated the bloc's transition away from Russian fossil fuels, but it has also exposed vulnerabilities in the electricity grid. Several member states, including Poland and Romania, have reported cyberattacks on their energy infrastructure that they attribute to Russian-linked groups.
In a related development, the EU and Turkey are set for an October summit on Cyprus talks, a reminder that the bloc's eastern and southern flanks remain volatile. The MEP argued that a unified European stance on Ukraine is essential to deter further aggression elsewhere. "If we show weakness here, we invite trouble in the Balkans, in the Caucasus, and beyond," he said.
As the evening news bulletins across Europe lead with the latest strikes, the EPP's message is clear: the time for half-measures is over. Whether EU leaders heed that call will be tested in the coming weeks, both on the battlefield and in the corridors of power in Brussels.
