Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
He tried to put a brave face on it, but the numbers show that Russia’s domestic production is far from enough to meet demand.
In a speech broadcast by Russian state media, Vladimir Putin delivered a stern warning to Ukraine. Speaking at a patriotic forum, the Russian president promised a massive response to recent Ukrainian drone strikes inside his borders, TASS reported.
According to the Russian state-run TASS news agency, Putin claimed Moscow’s retaliation would be several times more powerful than the original strikes.
He warned that “the enemy will feel it on an increasing scale” as conflict escalates.
But behind the tough rhetoric, the Kremlin is facing a difficult reality on the ground. For weeks, Ukrainian drone strikes have targeted Russian oil refineries, causing massive disruptions in domestic fuel production.
Pain at the pump
Putin openly acknowledged that Ukraine has caused real difficulties for Russia’s petroleum supplies. Even so, he tried to reassure the public.
He insisted the Russian energy sector remains “solid and durable” and promised that “the situation will gradually improve” over time.
The actual figures reveal a much darker reality. Because drone strikes have knocked out major oil refineries, several massive plants have been forced to completely halt operations.
Currently, Russian gasoline production covers only about 65% of seasonal demand, Reuters reported on July 10.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Novak confirmed that drone attacks on refineries are the main cause of the shortages. The pain is also being felt by the military. According to the Atesh resistance movement, commanders have already restricted fuel supplies for air defense units in southern Ukraine.
Protecting the peninsula
To combat the shortages, Moscow is scrambling to build a new logistical network to supply occupied Crimea. Putin claimed the new system will be heavily shielded.
He promised that “it will be very difficult for the enemy to reach it” once construction finishes.
Whether this new network can actually withstand ongoing aerial attacks remains to be seen. For now, the Kremlin is stuck playing defense.
Defending its fragile energy network while keeping a massive war machine running is turning out to be a very expensive challenge.
