I went down a rabbit hole, but couldn't help think that the information made sense.
In 2012, a member of the United Russia party (Putin's party) suggested that when Ukraine joined an economic union with Russia (it was assumed at the time that they would), that 7 million Ukrainians would be relocated to Siberia to create a demographic barrier against Chinese demographic encroachment, and that the population in Ukraine would be replaced with ethnic Russians to further Rusify the country.
https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2012/12/24/6980376/ (translate to English using Google)
In 2014 and again in 2016, Russia (allegedly) forced Ukrainians from Crimea and occupied areas to relocate to Siberia.
https://khpg.org/en/1410700305
https://tass.com/economy/856936?utm_...rer=google.com
When you look at the magnitude of destruction in civilian areas, it can be considered that the purpose of making Ukrainian cities unlivable, would be to forcibly relocate them to Siberia as per the 2012 proposal. Give them nothing to return to and somewhere else to go (whether they want to take the offer or not). After the proposed customs union failed, this was the next step their ethno-engineering plan.
I don't know the reputation of all the sources (Ukrainian and Russian), but it isn't like Russia hasn't had a history of doing this.