Published: 10:17 AM, 04 July 2026
Putin plays down Russia's fuel shortages
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed growing fuel shortages caused by repeated Ukrainian strikes on Russia's oil facilities, saying the problem is "not critical" as he vowed to continue the war until Moscow achieves its objectives.
Despite increasing disruptions to Russia's fuel supply, Putin has rejected ceasefire proposals and insisted that military operations will continue. He has described Ukraine's attacks on Russian energy infrastructure as an attempt to divert attention from Kyiv's battlefield setbacks, although military analysts say Russia's advance has slowed in recent months.
His remarks came as Russia launched one of its deadliest attacks on the Ukrainian capital in recent months. An 11-hour overnight barrage on Kyiv into Thursday morning killed at least 30 people.
Since March, Ukraine has reportedly carried out more than 50 attacks on oil refineries and energy facilities in Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukrainian officials say the campaign is aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow to end the war.
The attacks have also brought the impact of the conflict closer to ordinary Russians, challenging the Kremlin's long-standing message that daily life inside Russia remains largely unaffected by the war.
According to Chris Weafer, CEO of consultancy Macro-Advisory, about one-third of Russia's oil refining capacity has been disrupted. He said many of the damaged facilities will require costly and lengthy repairs.
One of Moscow's largest oil refineries has been hit twice despite heavy air defense around the capital. The latest strike on June 18 caused a major fire and reportedly damaged key equipment that may not be fully repaired until the end of the year.
Russian government data show gasoline production has fallen by about 17% to around 850,000 barrels per day. Fuel rationing has been introduced in several regions, with motorists waiting in long queues at filling stations.
The worst shortages have been reported in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. At times, authorities have suspended gasoline sales to private consumers altogether.
At a government meeting last weekend, Putin acknowledged Russia was going through a "difficult period" but said the shortages were temporary. He pledged to speed up repairs to damaged energy facilities, said Russia could import gasoline if necessary, and promised to increase production of air defense systems to counter future Ukrainian strikes.
Putin accused Ukraine of trying to create divisions within Russian society and force Moscow into peace talks on terms favorable to Kyiv.
"We will not give them that chance," he said.
Although Putin insisted the attacks on Russian oil facilities have had no impact on the front line, Western military analysts say Ukrainian strikes on Russian military supply routes have complicated logistics and slowed Moscow's offensive, leaving much of the battlefield at a stalemate.
Putin maintained that Russian forces are still making gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line.
The Russian leader has also rejected repeated calls by Ukraine and its Western allies for a ceasefire, arguing it would only allow Ukrainian forces time to regroup.
He has made any truce conditional on Ukraine withdrawing from the remaining parts of the Donetsk region under its control, a demand Kyiv has rejected. Putin also insists that any peace agreement must prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, reduce its military capabilities and guarantee protection for the Russian language and culture.
Putin also claimed Ukraine had privately proposed limiting the fighting to the four regions that Russia annexed but does not fully control: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. He said he rejected the proposal because it would allow Ukrainian forces to reinforce those areas.
The Kremlin said the proposal was delivered through confidential channels, but Ukrainian officials have not publicly confirmed such an offer.
Putin also dismissed Ukraine's proposal for both sides to stop launching long-range strikes inside each other's territory, arguing that Russia's attacks are far more powerful and destructive.
Russia's latest assault on Kyiv again struck residential areas, despite Moscow saying it was targeting military facilities. In contrast, most Ukrainian strikes inside Russia have focused on oil refineries, weapons factories and other military-related infrastructure.
According to the United Nations, more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than four years ago.
