Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged fuel shortages within the country, a rare admission that underscores the growing strain on domestic energy infrastructure.
The comments come as Ukraine intensified its drone campaign, setting fire to a major oil refinery in southern Russia.
The facility, located in Slavyansk-na-Kubani in the Krasnodar region, was hit during a heavy assault that resulted in at least two fatalities, according to Russian authorities.
The strike marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s targeting of Russian energy assets.
By hitting a key processing hub in the south, Kyiv aims to disrupt the flow of refined products and exert pressure on Russia’s war economy.
The combination of physical damage to infrastructure and the Kremlin’s own admission of supply tightness suggests that the impact of these attacks is moving beyond tactical disruption to affect broader market sentiment.