Putin makes rare admission of fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian strikes

In Russia, the impact of Ukraine's missile and drone strikes on energy infrastructure from Moscow to the Black Sea and beyond has long been evident. Queues at petrol stations. Fuel rationing widespread. Refineries hit. Drivers in the Russia-annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea banned from filling their tanks so priority can be given to military vehicles. But such is the gravity of the situation it has now been explicitly acknowledged by President Vladimir Putin for the first time. Over the weekend, Russia's president discussed the crisis with senior officials and oil executives. And in public remarks, he was unusually frank. "You're well aware that problems persist for both motorists and businesses," he told the meeting. "Unfortunately, there are still queues at petrol stations, and finding the right grade of petrol isn't always easy." He also mentioned the difficulties faced by the agricultural industry and said the harvest "depended on" the fuel supply schedule being met. According to independent Russian outlet Mediazona, 56 Russian regions are currently enforcing fuel restrictions. Later, in an interview with Russian state television, Putin was even more open. He admitted Ukraine's attacks were "obviously creating problems": "We are currently seeing a certain shortage," he said, "but it's not critical." He promised to increase production of air defences to protect Russian energy infrastructure, and to speed up repairs to the refineries that Ukraine managed to hit. …