ROME, October 5. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky is chiefly responsible for the new escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, as his actions prompt a harsher response from Russia, an editorial of the L'AntiDiplomatico portal said.

"The war continues to escalate, and responsibility for this latest escalation lies with a specific person -- Vladimir Zelensky," the story says. "The intensification of attacks on Russian oil refineries has provoked a new, harsh response from the Russian Defense Ministry. Moscow’s message is unambiguous: the more strikes the Kiev regime launches against Russian territory, the harsher the response will be."

The publication notes that Russia’s response is "aimed at Ukraine’s military machine: data processing centers, military and energy infrastructure, transport, communications, and ports used to transfer fuel, ammunition, and Western components for the war. Moscow’s position is clear: every new offensive by Kiev against Russian territory will provoke an increasingly forceful response. And Zelensky’s decision to continue escalating the conflict risks leading to another qualitative leap in the war."

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia’s response to Kiev’s attacks is so sensitive and destructive that the Ukrainian regime has requested a truce, in particular an energy truce. Speaking at Valdai on October 1, Putin said that the situation around Ukraine is not a matter of "a chunk of land" for Russia, but of people. Russia needs to create conditions not for a truce, but for a lasting peace, "for a long historical perspective," and security guarantees are needed, the president noted.