Putin admits fuel shortages due to Ukraine strikes: Attacks create problem

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory and energy facilities had created problems, including fuel shortages, but insisted the situation was not critical.

In Short

• Fuel shortages have caused queues, export reviews across Russia
• Slavyansk refinery fire followed falling drone debris, killing a resident
• Zelenskyy said overnight attacks also struck refinery in Yaroslavl region

Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted that Ukraine's repeated strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have caused fuel shortages in the country, though he insisted the situation was not critical.

In an interview published by the Kremlin on Sunday, Putin acknowledged that attacks on key infrastructure, particularly energy facilities, had created 'problems' for Russia after nearly four years of war with Ukraine.

"As for strikes against critical infrastructure in general, and energy infrastructure in particular, of course these attacks on our infrastructure facilities create problems, that's obvious," Putin said.

"Right now we're observing a certain shortage, but it's not critical," he added.

Putin said Russia's immediate priorities were to strengthen its air defence systems and maintain fuel supplies, especially in Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The annexation has not been recognised by most countries.

The authorities in Crimea on Friday declared an "emergency situation" after fuel shortages and power disruptions were reported following Ukrainian attacks targeting logistics networks and oil facilities.

Putin also addressed the issue during a speech at the United Russia party congress, where he vowed that Moscow would respond to escalating Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory.

"Yes, we see the problems, we are aware of them and are responding to them, but we will certainly ensure the security of both the country and our citizens, as well as the inviolability of Russia's borders," he told party members.

The premier added that Russia would overcome what he described as challenges, including attacks on its territory and infrastructure.

The remarks came shortly after a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person in Russia's southern Krasnodar region and triggered a fire at a refinery, according to regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strike was part of efforts to weaken Russia's capacity to continue the war.

"The Slavyansk oil refinery in the Krasnodar region was hit – about 300km [185 miles] from the frontline. We also reached a refinery in the Yaroslavl region, approximately 700km [435 miles] from our border," Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Sunday.

Last week, another Ukrainian attack caused a major blaze at a refinery southeast of Moscow, sending thick black smoke over parts of the capital's suburbs.

Ukraine has intensified medium and long-range strikes on industrial targets in Russia and Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine, with oil facilities emerging as a primary focus of the attacks.

Kyivv has described the strikes as retaliation for Russia's continued attacks on Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Meanwhile, for the first time, Putin claimed that Ukraine had proposed a suspension of long-range strikes, saying Kyivv made the offer because Russian attacks deep inside Ukrainian territory were proving more effective and destructive.

He also said Ukraine had suggested restricting the conflict to the four regions Russia claims to have annexed but has never fully controlled: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Putin said he turned down the proposal, arguing that it would have allowed Ukraine to redeploy forces from other fronts and strengthen its positions in those areas.

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