Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Ukraine’s attacks aim at Russian oil refineries to create unease in society. The statement comes after, on June 28, the Kremlin leader acknowledged that he had refused an agreement with Kiev to stop the attacks deep within the territories of the two states.
“It is absolutely clear that the enemy is trying to affect the economy. But most importantly, they are trying to create a nervous situation in society. We understand that this is an impossible task,” Putin declared on July 8, in discussions with ministers.
The President stated that “the safety margin of Russia’s energy system is one of the largest in the world,” reports Meduza. At the same time, he also said that the gasoline shortage is a temporary one, and Kiev would want to disrupt the vacations of Russians, in full season.
At the same time, Putin has given instructions to quickly mobilize the capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises, in order to produce fuels.
In recent months, Russia has been grappling with a major fuel crisis, largely caused by Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries. Citizens spend hours in line at fuel stations and can purchase gasoline and diesel with a limit, if fuel is generally available.