Zelenskyy says Putin lifted air-strike limits in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the removal of restrictions on Russian air operations in Ukraine, leading to intensified strikes on civilian infrastructure, based on intercepted intelligence. Zelenskyy made the claim from a bomb shelter in a school struck by a Russian drone, saying the order was issued in September as attacks on Kyiv targeted schools, hospitals, and data centres. Moscow separately warned it could use its full arsenal, including nuclear weapons, to defend Kaliningrad against a Nato blockade. Nato rejected Russia's nuclear rhetoric as irresponsible, stating it is a defensive alliance with no plans to target Kaliningrad. Putin accused the West of escalating tensions, while European officials warned of potential Russian hybrid attacks and a possible limited military strike against a Nato member.