Putin acknowledges 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.
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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.
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“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.
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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.
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