The point is that after WW II war was outlawed and gentlemen decided to stop warring.
The question becomes “how can enemies legally war” Hence the proliferation of military lawyers controlling every action.
Actually, you are incorrect. Until 1945 or so, Russia fought with large armies in the field on battlefields away from cities. The war was decided by armies in the field. WW II changed all that. War was fought everywhere and especially in the cities.
The same was true in America until General Sherman introduced destroying all in his path.
Putin has returned to WW II tactics eschewed and outlawed by the world powers. The world is being taught that war is war and is for winning. Putin is providing Iran a license to destroy Tel Aviv. Putin is providing justification to Saudi Arabia to exterminate Houthi’s where ever they exist.
We will see how it turns out.
No, I am not incorrect. We are seeing Stalinist genocide in Ukraine. Civilian mass murder, depopulation, deportation and replacement of native ethnic population. Reports just today of reeducation camps for Ukrainian teachers in Crimea. Russification is in full swing already. This is the Russian way of war as it has been for centuries