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Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on October 1 that Russia did not start the war against Ukraine and said Moscow had been forced to defend itself, speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club forum.
According to Putin, Russia was drawn into the conflict after what he described as efforts to encourage nationalism in Ukraine and NATO's expansion into what he called Russia's “historical territories.”
“Russia was deliberately put in a situation where it had to defend itself with weapons in its hands,” Putin said.
He also called for peaceful relations, saying that everyone wants to live and that the sides should seek ways to coexist.
Putin also rejected accusations that Russian forces deliberately target civilian infrastructure. He claimed that Russian troops have never been the first to intentionally attack civilian facilities and have always followed the rules of warfare.
“Russian servicemen have always been guided by the inviolability of the rules of warfare and have never been the first to deliberately attack civilian infrastructure,” Putin said.
These claims contrast with findings and statements from the United Nations. The UN has documented repeated Russian attacks on populated areas and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, including homes, schools, health facilities and businesses. The UN Secretary-General has said that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law.
A UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission report published in June 2026 also documented systematic and repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the 2025–2026 winter, including hundreds of strikes on electricity generation, transmission and distribution facilities.
Putin's remarks came amid continued Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. On October 1, a Russian drone struck a school in Kyiv, where children and staff had taken shelter, while other strikes damaged civilian infrastructure in the capital and Odesa.
