This pool photo distributed by Russian state news agency Sputnik shows Russian President Vladimir Putin addressing the audience at the 23rd Congress of the United Russia Party in Moscow on June 28, 2026.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that the country was facing a fuel shortage following long-range attacks by Ukrainian drones on key energy infrastructure, but insisted the Kremlin was responding.
The Russian president’s comments in an interview with a state television reporter on Sunday are the first to detail the extent to which Ukraine’s successful barrage of attacks is hampering Russia’s fuel production.
Putin said Russia would import fuel and expedite repairs to oil facilities to eliminate what he called a “temporary deficit,” according to the Associated Press.
“All damaged facilities are being restored very quickly and the problems that are occurring are not serious,” Putin said. He also pledged to strengthen Russia’s air defense capabilities to counter Ukraine’s medium- and long-range unmanned capabilities.
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian oil facilities in recent weeks, seeking to cut off Moscow’s energy revenues and force President Vladimir Putin to end more than four years of war.
Following attacks, including a massive explosion at Gazprom’s Moscow refinery earlier this month, analysts have suggested the conflict may be tilting in Ukraine’s favor.
Ukraine has also stepped up attacks on Crimea, which Russia took over by force in 2014 as part of its strategy to isolate the peninsula, benefiting from a series of political tailwinds in recent weeks.
In a speech to the ruling United Russia party congress early Sunday morning, President Putin reinforced his determination to achieve the country’s military goals and demonstrate Russia’s power.
“Certainly, we are aware of the problem and we are aware of it. We are also responding to it,” he said, referring vaguely to the impact of Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy facilities.
He added: “We will ensure that we address all the challenges we face today, including terrorist attacks on our territory and infrastructure.”
Cars line up at a gas station operated by Russian state oil company Rosneft on June 27, 2026 in Moscow, Russia. Russia has been suffering from a fuel crisis since mid-June due to increased drone attacks on refineries by Ukraine.
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In a meeting with government ministers and other officials, the Russian president also acknowledged the impact of Ukrainian drone attacks, mentioned queues at gas stations and said a complete ban on diesel exports was under consideration.
Russian refinery
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Sunday that his country’s military had attacked two more Russian oil refineries. One facility is located in the Krasnodar region, estimated to be about 296 miles from the front line, and the other is in the Yaroslavl region, about 700 miles from the Ukrainian border.
“Each of our long-term sanctions is a reduction in the resources working for Russia’s war machine and is another step towards peace,” President Zelenskiy said on Telegram, according to Google Translate.
There was no immediate report from Russian authorities about the attack. Yaroslavl region governor Mikhail Evlaev announced on Sunday that a drone danger warning had been issued and the road from Yaroslavl to Moscow was temporarily closed.
