Putin brushes aside Russia’s fuel shortages as attacks on Ukraine continue

Despite growing fuel shortages across Russia, President Vladimir Putin has downplayed the impact of Ukraine's escalating strikes on Russian oil refineries. Calling the situation "not critical," he has rejected ceasefire proposals and maintained that Russia's military campaign will continue until its objectives are achieved.

Putin has argued that Ukraine's attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure are intended to divert attention from setbacks on the battlefield. However, military analysts say Russia's offensive has slowed considerably in recent months, suggesting the fighting has reached a more difficult phase. Even so, Putin appears confident that the fuel shortages will not significantly weaken public support for his leadership or the war.

Meanwhile, Russia launched one of its deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the full-scale invasion began, carrying out an 11-hour overnight assault into Thursday that killed at least 30 people.

Fuel crisis deepens

Since March, Ukraine has reportedly carried out more than 50 strikes on Russian oil refineries and energy facilities, including sites in Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukrainian officials say the campaign is designed to increase pressure on Moscow to end the war.

The attacks have also brought the conflict closer to ordinary Russians, challenging the Kremlin's long-standing narrative that the war has little impact on everyday life inside the country.

According to consultancy Macro-Advisory, roughly one-third of Russia's oil refining capacity has been disrupted, with many facilities suffering damage that will take months and significant investment to repair.

One of Moscow's main refineries has been struck twice despite strong air defences. A second attack on 18 June caused a major fire that damaged critical equipment, with repairs expected to last until the end of the year.

Government figures show petrol production has fallen by about 17% to around 850,000 barrels per day. Fuel rationing has been introduced in several regions, while motorists have faced long queues at filling stations.

To ease the shortage, authorities have temporarily allowed the production of lower-grade petrol containing higher sulphur levels through the end of the year.

The most severe shortages have been reported in Crimea, where fuel sales to private consumers have occasionally been suspended altogether.

Putin seeks to reassure the public

During a government meeting last weekend, Putin acknowledged that Russia was experiencing a "difficult period" but described the shortages as temporary. He promised faster repairs to damaged energy facilities and said Russia could import petrol if necessary. He also pledged to increase production of air defence systems to protect critical infrastructure from future attacks.

Putin accused Ukraine of trying to divide Russian society, undermine Moscow's military campaign, and pressure the Kremlin into negotiations on terms favourable to Kyiv.

"We will not give them that chance," he said.

Although Putin insisted the strikes on oil facilities have had no impact on the battlefield, Western analysts believe Ukrainian attacks on Russian supply lines and logistics have slowed Russia's advance and contributed to a prolonged military stalemate.

On Friday, Putin visited Russia's military headquarters overseeing operations in Ukraine, where commanders reported the capture of Kostyantynivka after weeks of intense fighting. Putin described the city's capture as strategically important because it could pave the way towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, two major Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian authorities did not immediately confirm Russia's claim. Earlier in the day, Ukraine's General Staff said its forces had repelled 24 Russian assaults around Kostyantynivka and nearby settlements.

Putin also warned that continued Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory could force Moscow to expand the security buffer zone inside Ukraine. He further cautioned Ukraine's Western allies that Russia would closely assess their involvement in the conflict before making future decisions.

Ceasefire proposals rejected

Putin has dismissed repeated calls for a ceasefire from Ukraine and its Western partners, arguing that any pause in fighting would allow Ukrainian forces to regroup and strengthen their defences.

He responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's offer for direct talks by suggesting the Ukrainian leader come to Moscow, a proposal Kyiv has rejected.

The Russian president has made any ceasefire dependent on Ukraine withdrawing from the parts of the Donetsk region it still controls. He has also insisted that any final peace agreement must require Ukraine to abandon its NATO ambitions, reduce its military capabilities, and guarantee protections for Russian language and culture.

In a recent interview, Putin claimed Ukraine had proposed limiting combat to the four regions Russia claims to have annexed — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. He said he rejected the idea because it would allow Ukrainian forces to shift troops from other fronts and reinforce their defences in the southeast.

"Faced with a catastrophic shortage of personnel, the armed forces of Ukraine apparently believe this could be their salvation," Putin said. "Saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans."

The Kremlin said the proposal had been conveyed through confidential channels, though Ukrainian officials have not publicly acknowledged making such an offer.

Putin also rejected Ukraine's suggestion that both sides stop carrying out long-range strikes inside each other's territory, arguing that Russia's attacks have far greater military impact.

While Moscow says it targets military infrastructure, Thursday's large-scale attack on Kyiv again struck residential neighbourhoods. In contrast, most Ukrainian long-range strikes inside Russia have focused on oil refineries, weapons factories and other military-related facilities.

According to the United Nations, the war has claimed the lives of more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians.