On June 28th, Russia held a high-level meeting regarding fuel supply and distribution. Russian President Putin acknowledged that there was a shortage of fuel in various regions of Russia, and a special task force is working to ensure an adequate supply for the entire country.
He stated that since Ukrainian drones carried out 'terrorist attacks' on civilian targets and oil infrastructure, Russia must minimize the impact of fuel shortages.
The Fuel Supply Task Force is operating around the clock. The current situation requires the implementation of systematic measures that match the scale of the challenges at hand, in order to increase supplies and keep prices at a reasonable level.
According to the meeting minutes published by Russian news agencies, Putin said at the meeting: "You are well aware that the problems faced by drivers and companies still exist. Unfortunately, long queues also remain at gas stations."
Putin also called for measures to ensure the supply of the agricultural sector, which is particularly important.
He said, “We need to do everything in our power to ensure that all seasonal fuel supply plans for agricultural and industrial enterprises are maintained, as the harvest depends on this.”
Putin said that gasoline reserves are being used, currently at 1.7 million tons, and noted that the production level in July should exceed that of June. Putin told the attendees: "The necessity of a complete ban on diesel fuel exports is currently being considered." This topic has been discussed for some time.
According to International News Agency, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak previously stated that there was no need for Russia to ban diesel exports.
According to reports by Observer Network, recently Ukraine has increased its medium and long-range attacks on industrial targets in Russia, with a focus on the oil industry.
For example, on June 18th, Ukraine carried out its second attack against a refinery in Moscow within a week. Black smoke billowed into the sky from the attacked refinery, which is located in southeastern Moscow, about 15 kilometers from the Kremlin. According to the refinery’s website, it is one of Russia’s largest refining facilities, producing more than one-third of the fuel needed for Moscow region.
