Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that Ukrainian drone strikes on energy infrastructure are causing fuel shortages in Russia, though he described the situation as 'not critical'. Speaking to state television on Sunday, the Russian president said the attacks were creating 'obvious' problems and that Moscow would boost fuel imports and repair damaged refineries.
Ukrainian long-range drone strikes have cut Russia's oil refining capacity by roughly a quarter, analysts estimate, leading to a 15% supply shortfall. Fuel rationing is now in place in at least 56 Russian regions, including Moscow, according to open-source data. In annexed Crimea, authorities declared a state of emergency after repeated strikes disrupted logistics and oil infrastructure.
Social media in Russia has been flooded with videos of long queues at petrol stations and memes mocking the shortages. One Muscovite told the Guardian he waited over two hours to fill his car. The sight of such queues is unprecedented since Putin came to power in 2000.
Kyiv says the campaign aims to weaken Russia's war effort and bring the conflict home to ordinary Russians. President Zelenskyy recently authorised a 40-day operation targeting Russian infrastructure. Despite growing frustration, there is little evidence the shortages have altered the Kremlin's determination to continue the invasion.
Putin reiterated his goal of 'liberating' Donbas and Novorossiya, and claimed Ukraine had proposed a mutual halt to long-range strikes, which he rejected. 'Our counterstrikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger,' he said.
