Ukraine cannot destabilize Russia through energy attacks – Putin
Ukraine’s attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure will neither destabilize the country’s economy nor create public panic, President Vladimir Putin has said during a meeting with government officials on Wednesday.
Ukraine has stepped up mid- and long-range strikes on targets deep inside Russia, hitting oil refineries, gas compression stations, civilian infrastructure, and vehicles, including those traveling between mainland Russia and Crimea. The attacks have disrupted logistics, affected local fuel supplies, and caused numerous civilian casualties.
“It is abundantly clear that the adversary is seeking to damage our economy, but above all to create an atmosphere of anxiety in the society. We understand that this goal is impossible to achieve,” Putin said during a virtual meeting.
”Russia’s energy system has one of the highest resilience margins in the world,” he added, urging officials to work more closely with energy companies to swiftly address any local fuel shortages.
He urged for the necessary decisions to be reached quickly to help bring down the price of fuel in Crimea, where the price of gasoline and diesel has skyrocketed due to scarcity brought on by Ukrainian drone strikes on fuel trucks.
Kiev has also increasingly targeted civilian vehicles, including private cars and tourist buses, leaving multiple people dead and injured. Last week alone, Ukrainian attacks killed 38 civilians, including one child, and wounded 270 others, according to Rodion Miroshnik, who heads the Russian Foreign Ministry’s mission documenting Kiev’s war crimes.
Moscow has accused Ukraine of carrying out “terrorist attacks” and vowed systematic retaliatory strikes on military-linked infrastructure across Ukraine, including in Kiev. This week, Russian forces launched a large-scale drone and missile barrage, targeting arms production and maintenance facilities, fuel depots, and military airfields.
