Putin publicly comments on Ukraine's strikes on Russian infrastructure for the first time
Vladimir Putin on June 23 made his first public remarks on Ukrainian attacks against Russian civilian infrastructure, attempting to portray them as a sign of Ukraine's weakness.
Russian President Vladimir Putin commented publicly for the first time on June 23 on Ukrainian strikes on Russian civilian infrastructure during a briefing at the Kremlin. The remarks came after Ukraine struck the Moscow oil refinery on June 16 and 18. The June 18 drone attack was the largest since the war began, according to The Kyiv Independent. The conference, focused on healthcare, transport and education, took place amid growing domestic political pressure on Putin as Ukrainian strikes, fuel shortages and internet outages intensify the war's impact on Russians' daily lives.
Putin sought to present Ukraine's growing success in hitting Russian energy facilities as a sign of Ukrainian weakness. "We know and see that the Kyiv regime, as the situation at the front is rapidly deteriorating, as the enemy is losing territory one after another and our soldiers are occupying one settlement after another, has adopted the tactic of striking our civilian objects, trying to create problems with energy supply, affect the tourist season," Putin said at the start of a government video conference.
Russia's spring 2026 offensive has largely failed. According to Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, 35,203 Russian soldiers were "eliminated or severely wounded" in April. Data from the Ukrainian analytical project DeepState shows that, at the cost of these losses, the Russian army was able to seize only 141 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory. Meanwhile, Ukrainian strikes shut down several Russian oil refineries, worsening the fuel crisis. Some regions have already imposed restrictions on gasoline sales. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on June 23 that authorities are considering a ban on diesel exports due to shortages.
Putin did not elaborate on the consequences of the attacks. Instead, he said he would order the government to take additional measures to minimize the effects of the Ukrainian strikes, without specifying what those measures would be. "Of course, the primary task of neutralizing these threats lies with the Ministry of Defense and other security agencies. At the same time, the government of the Russian Federation should also take additional measures to minimize, bring to zero the consequences of such actions," Putin said.
Putin's approval rating has fallen to its lowest since the war began in recent weeks amid more frequent Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory. Analysts suggest this could indicate growing divisions within the Russian political elite.
