Speaking about attacks targeting key infrastructure in general and energy infrastructure in particular, it is clear that attacks targeting our infrastructure have caused many problems," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview released by the Kremlin on June 28.
The Russian President added: "We are recording a certain shortage but not serious enough.
According to Mr. Putin, the urgent task now is to strengthen Russia's air defense capabilities and ensure fuel supply, especially for the Crimean peninsula.
On June 26, the authorities in Crimea declared a state of emergency due to fuel shortages and power outages arising after Ukrainian attacks on logistics lines and oil facilities. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
Just hours earlier, in a speech at the Congress of the United Russia Party, President Putin declared that he would ensure security and overcome challenges as Ukraine intensifies retaliatory attacks on Russian territory.
Yes, we see the problems, are aware of it and are taking response measures. But we will certainly ensure security for the country, for the people as well as the inviolability of the Russian border. We will certainly overcome all the challenges we are facing today, including terrorist attacks targeting our territory and infrastructure" - Mr. Putin said before party members.
Putin's statement was made just hours after a Ukrainian drone attack killed 1 person in the Krasnodar region in southern Russia and caused a fire at a oil refinery.
The Slavyansk oil refinery in the Krasnodar region was attacked - about 300km from the front lines. We also hit a oil refinery in the Yaroslavl region, about 700km from our border" - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social network X on June 28.
Last week, another Ukrainian attack caused a major fire at a oil refinery in southeastern Moscow.
In the interview, the Russian leader also expected a US negotiating delegation to Moscow to discuss ending the Ukraine conflict after Washington is no longer too focused on Iran and the Middle East situation.
We expect that, after all developments end, after the most tense period related to Iran passes, we will welcome representatives of the US administration that we have met many times in Moscow" - Mr. Putin said.
We are ready to continue negotiations and discuss all details," Putin added.
