---
title: "Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Calls for 'Open' Bombing of Ukrainian Cities to 'Demoralize' the Population"
description: "On a broadcast of \"Channel One,\" Deputy Speaker of the Russian State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy called for open strikes on Ukrainian cities, with residents warned in advance, in order to \"demoralize\" the population and force it to capitulate."
date: 2026-08-28T10:04:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tolstoy-calls-for-open-bombing-of-ukrainian-cities
tags: [russia, ukraine, state-duma, pyotr-tolstoy, war, propaganda]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Calls for 'Open' Bombing of Ukrainian Cities to 'Demoralize' the Population

![Russian Federation delegate at an official forum table with a nameplate, in the context of statements about bombing Ukrainian cities](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/28/tolstoy-prizval-otkryto-bombit-goroda-ukrainy/tolstoy-prizval-otkryto-bombit-goroda-ukrainy-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Deputy Speaker of the Russian State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy, on a broadcast of "Channel One," called for "open" strikes on Ukrainian cities in order to "demoralize" the population.
- Tolstoy proposed warning residents a day in advance and allowing them to leave their cities, stating that the goal is to make Ukrainians come out "with raised paws" to meet the troops.
- Journalists note that similar belligerent statements have previously been made by other deputies of the Russian State Duma, including Andrey Gurulev, Andrey Kolesnik, and Alexey Zhuravlyov.

On a broadcast of the Russian TV channel "Channel One," Deputy Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Pyotr Tolstoy publicly called for "open" strikes on Ukrainian cities in order to "demoralize" the population and force it to capitulate. RBC-Ukraine reports this, citing the Telegram channel "We Can Explain." The statement was made during a discussion in which the channel's propagandists claimed that more than 20 million people allegedly live in Ukraine, and they asked Tolstoy what would happen to them if the country's territory were turned into a "wasteland."

### "With raised paws": the logic of a "humane" warning

In response to a question about the fate of the civilian population, Tolstoy proposed warning residents of Ukrainian cities a day in advance of upcoming strikes and allowing them to leave their settlements. "Do you think we are calling for cruelty? We are calling for the public to be demoralized to such an extent that they come out to meet our troops with their paws raised," the deputy declared. In essence, this amounts to deliberate psychological pressure on peaceful civilians aimed at breaking their will to resist, which under international law is considered an impermissible impact on the civilian population.

### Repeated belligerent statements from the State Duma

As journalists note, this is not the first time that representatives of the Russian parliament have made such statements. Deputy Andrey Gurulev called for "beating the enemy mercilessly, without any qualms," Andrey Kolesnik spoke of the need to "keep delivering strikes so that they cannot even raise their heads," and the leader of the "Rodina" party, Alexey Zhuravlyov, previously stated the need to destroy half of Ukraine's population. According to observers, the totality of these remarks forms a sustained rhetoric aimed at justifying massive strikes on civilian infrastructure.

### Diplomatic and military backdrop

The resonant statements were made against the backdrop of a series of events. Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported how Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov complained to the Vatican about Ukrainians, though, according to the outlet, he was unable to achieve anything. In addition, the article described the tasks with which the head of the CIA arrived in Moscow on the eve. Meanwhile, in Russia, new "Geran" drones were announced as being used in an attack on Ukraine. In this context, public calls to "demoralize" the population appear as an element of an information campaign accompanying the military operations.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [In Russia, it was publicly revealed how Ukraine will be forced to "surrender"](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiyi-publichno-rozkrili-k-budut-zmushuvati-1787911181.html) - Основной источник: эфир «Первого канала», слова Толстого о предупреждении за сутки и «деморализации».
- ["So that they come out with raised paws": Deputy Speaker of the Russian State Duma calls for bombing Ukrainian cities](https://24tv.ua/ru/massirovannaja-ataka-na-ukrainu-vice-spiker-gosdumy-tolstoj-prizval-bombit-ukrainskie-goroda_n3131375) - Подтверждает цитату о «поднятых лапках» и призыв к бомбардировкам городов.
- [In the Russian State Duma, a call was made to openly attack Ukrainian cities in order to "demoralize the Ukrainians"](https://www.dialog.ua/russia/v-gosdume-rf-prizvali-otkryto-atakovat-goroda-ukrainy-chtoby-demoralizovat.html) - Совпадает по сути заявления и формулировке «деморализовать».
- [Z-authorities of the Russian Federation openly call for turning Ukrainian cities into ruins](https://kochegarka.com.ua/z-vlasti-rf-otkryto-prizyvayut-prevrashhat-ukrainskie-goroda-v-ruiny/) - Дополнительный контекст о системном характере подобных заявлений.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who made the statement about strikes on Ukrainian cities?
**A:** Deputy Speaker of the Russian State Duma Pyotr Tolstoy, on a broadcast of the Russian TV channel "Channel One."

### Q: What exactly did Tolstoy propose?
**A:** Warning residents of Ukrainian cities a day in advance of upcoming strikes and allowing them to leave their settlements, in order to "demoralize" the population and force it to capitulate.

### Q: Have these words been confirmed?
**A:** Yes, they were reported by RBC-Ukraine and a number of other Ukrainian media outlets, citing the Telegram channel "We Can Explain."