Putin convenes crisis meeting: Fuel shortage spreads across Russia

Crisis spreads across all of Russia

According to the Kremlin's account, the special meeting was prompted by a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian oil industry. According to an analysis by the US firm Energy Intelligence, the attacks have taken about one-third of Russian refinery capacity offline. The most important refinery for the region around the capital, Moscow, could be out of operation for the remainder of the year, according to the available information.

The meeting was attended by representatives of various Russian ministries as well as the heads of the country's most important oil producers. Putin stated that he had already expected a significant increase in the production of the main fuel grades by July. Addressing the producers and ministries, he said: "Die sich stellenden außergewöhnlichen Aufgaben werden gelöst, und zwar klar, zügig und kompetent im Interesse des Landes und unserer Bürger."

In parallel with the meeting, Russia's military reported massive attacks. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow stated on Friday morning that attacks had been repelled nationwide and in the capital itself. Overall, Russian air defenses had intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and on the annexed Crimean peninsula. The state news agency Tass described the attack as the heaviest Ukrainian drone strike since the beginning of the year.

Military escalation and Russian counterattacks

The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was also attacked again overnight. According to its own statements, the aim of the Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil facilities is to reduce Moscow's war revenues and to promote peace. As part of a so-called 40-day offensive, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on refineries, oil pipelines, and fuel depots. Ukrainian drones recently hit two Russian refineries.

On the diplomatic front, the situation remained hardened. An offer from Kyiv for a direct meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was rejected. According to the facts, Moscow continues to insist on its maximalist demands, including full control over the Donbas.

Diplomatic front: Zelensky–Putin meeting rejected

In an interview with state television correspondent Pavel Zarubin, Putin declared that the Russian army would continue pursuing the objectives of the so-called special operation. "Aber die Rettung des Kyjiwer Regimes ist nicht Teil unserer Pläne," he said verbatim. At the same time, he justified his optimism with a "catastrophic personnel shortage" in the Ukrainian armed forces.

Putin also formulated a foreign-policy caveat: "Wozu brauchen sie dann aber die Einstellung der Kampfhandlungen und die Friedensverhandlungen, von denen sie immer häufiger sprechen und an denen sie teilnehmen wollen?" This was aimed at the West. Via Tass, he had it conveyed: "Dort werden zwar vereinzelt verschiedene Gerüchte laut, dass man dies angeblich nicht mehr anstrebe, aber offiziell hat niemand diese These von der Tagesordnung gestrichen." Putin also pointed to damage to civilian facilities: "Wir müssen die Folgen terroristischer Anschläge auf unsere zivilen Einrichtungen und die Infrastruktur reduzieren."

The Kremlin had previously stated that among the causes of the supply bottlenecks are the Ukrainian attacks on refineries. The escalation of the attacks has thus left visible traces in the daily lives of the Russian population — from empty fuel pumps in Crimea to queues in other parts of the country.