Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that his country is facing a “certain shortage” of fuel in the wake of repeated Ukrainian strikes on significant energy infrastructure, as the conflict between both sides has no end in sight. For the first time, the international leader detailed the extent to which Ukraine’s attacks have impacted Russia’s fuel production. “Right now we’re observing a certain shortage, but it’s not critical,” he said during a state TV interview on Sunday. Given the current situation, Putin vowed to increase Russian anti-aircraft defence capacity and ensure fuel supplies, especially to Crimea, which Russia seized by force in 2014. Ahead of the weekend, authorities in Russia-annexed Crimea declared an “emergency situation” due to fuel shortages and power cuts set in motion by Ukrainian strikes and attacks on oil facilities.