Putin admits fuel shortages after Ukrainian attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged for the first time Sunday that Russia is facing fuel shortages following a wave of Ukrainian attacks deep inside the country.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.Putin said a task force was working to alleviate the issue, which has grown into a serious crisis as the Kremlin grapples with simmering discontent on a range of issues.

Moscow must now also content with the renewed engagement of the United States, with President Donald Trump offering public praise for Kyiv’s efforts.Add NBC News to GoogleUkraine launches drone strikes on Moscow01:04“These attacks on our infrastructure facilities do create problems, that is obvious,” Putin said in an interview with a state TV reporter, which marked the first time he publicly addressed the toll Kyiv’s campaign has taken on Russia’s energy sector.But while Russia was “currently seeing a certain shortage” of fuel, he said, “the problems that have arisen are not of a critical nature.”The comments came after the Russian leader chaired a meeting with government officials on Sunday, where he discussed the situation with fuel distribution and said a ban on diesel exports was under consideration.

Black smoke billows from the area of Gazprom Neftâs Moscow oil refinery, on the outskirts of Moscow, on June 18, following what the Russian capital's mayor described as a large scale drone attack by Ukraine.Sefa Karacan / Anadolu via Getty ImagesIn the following interview with Russian state TV, Putin said that Russia’s immediate priorities were strengthening air defenses and maintaining fuel supplies, particularly to Crimea, the Russian-annexed peninsula that declared a state of emergency on Friday.Ukraine has intensified medium and long-range attacks on Russian energy facilities in recent weeks, sparking fuel shortages and miles-long lines at gas stations across the country — including in occupied Crim...