Putin admits fuel crunch as Ukraine hits refineries

Zelenskyy says strikes are weakening Moscow’s war machine; fresh Russian attacks kill eight in Ukraine.

Kyiv: Ukrainian drones struck two Russian oil refineries, including a major facility in the Krasnodar region, as Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged for the first time that the country was facing a “certain deficit” of fuel.

Putin said Moscow would strengthen protection of oil facilities, speed up repairs and increase fuel production and imports to address what he described as a temporary shortage. 

Ukrainian strikes have disrupted fuel supplies, forcing rationing in several Russian regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attacks targeted refineries in Krasnodar and Yaroslavl, calling them “our long-range sanctions”. 

“Each strike means a reduction in the resources that fuel the Russian war machine, and another step toward peace,” he said.

Putin claimed the attacks were intended to divide Russian society and force Moscow into negotiations on terms favourable to Kyiv, insisting they had no impact on the battlefield. 

He also rejected what he said were Ukrainian proposals to halt deep strikes and limit fighting to four partially occupied regions.

Separately, Russian missile and drone strikes killed over eight civilians and injured 35 across Ukraine, including five deaths in Dni­pro and three in Zaporizhzhia. Zelenskyy condemned the “horrific attacks” and renewed calls for stronger European air defence support. —AP