Putin admits fuel market problems in Russia not yet fully resolved after Ukraine's strikes

Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted on Sunday that fuel market problems in Russia due to Ukrainian strikes had not yet been fully resolved.

Speaking in an interview with the Russian broadcast company VGTRK, Putin said Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was dealing with the aftermath of Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure.

"Just the day before yesterday, we met and discussed this issue with the prime minister. Yes, not all issues have been resolved yet, but they are being resolved. The prime minister is keeping these issues under control. A special commission has been established," he said.

Putin also admitted that the strikes cause damage to the energy infrastructure. "Yes, of course, there are certain inconveniences for people, but the government must, of course, keep this under control," he said.

The president said he understood Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s position on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, who said Germany should not prosecute those accused of blowing it up, noting that Poland had lost potential transit revenue after the project’s route was moved from Polish territory to the Baltic Sea.

According to him, the original plan had been to build the second gas route through Poland, alongside the existing Yamal-Europe pipeline.

The Russian president said that even infrastructure for the planned route was built on Poland's territory but then the decision was made to lay Nord Stream 2 under the Baltic Sea to reduce risks.

As a result, he said, Poland lost potential revenue from the transit of Russian hydrocarbons.

Putin accused Ukrainian authorities of making “neo-Nazi ideology” a foundation of the state and that this was among the reasons for Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.

He said Russia would not accept the “glorification of Nazism” in Ukraine, arguing that the country's authorities honor figures who participated "in mass killings of Poles, Jews and Russians."

Putin also pointed to Poland as an example of a country that, despite its strained relations with Moscow, has raised concerns about the glorification of Nazism in Ukraine.

“Despite the well-known Russophobia in Polish politics, the Polish authorities are paying serious attention to the fundamental foundations of today’s Ukrainian statehood,” he said.

He said Polish authorities had taken a firm position on the issue in response to public concerns.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told VGTRK that Russia was not experiencing problems with supplies of diesel fuel or kerosene, with shortages affecting only gasoline.

“Russia has no problems with the supply of diesel fuel and kerosene. Difficulties remain only with gasoline,” he said.