‘We Were Mistaken’: Putin Admits Russia Was Unprepared for Ukrainian Strikes on Oil Refineries

Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted that Moscow underestimated Ukraine’s ability to strike Russian oil refineries, as a deepening fuel shortage exposes the impact of Kyiv’s drone campaign. Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum on Thursday, Putin acknowledged that Russian authorities had assumed oil refineries would not be targeted because they were civilian facilities.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “[We] assumed that these were purely civilian facilities and could not be targets of any kind of attacks even amid an armed conflict,” Putin said. “But in this regard, we were mistaken. Our adversary, unfortunately, thinks differently.” The remark came amid Russia’s own sustained campaign against Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure. For years, Russian forces have repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid, heating systems and other energy facilities, leaving millions of Ukrainians without electricity and heating during the autumn and winter months. Kyiv’s strikes on Russian oil infrastructure come after years of Russia using attacks on Ukraine’s energy system to disrupt civilian life and pressure the Ukrainian population. Putin warns of continued fuel shortages Putin’s admission came as he warned Russians to “be ready for anything” when asked whether they should get used to gasoline shortages. He said Russia was “forced to respond in kind” to Ukrainian strikes and claimed Moscow’s retaliation had been significant. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Denies Putin’s Claim of Capturing Kozacha Lopan Near Russian Border According to the Ukrainian military, Russians have suffered significant losses in the area since active operations began, including 178 soldiers killed. Putin added that Russian oil companies were working to strengthen defenses around their facilities and restore damaged production. “I think we will restore the remaining 10% in the very near future,” Putin said. “As long as the special military operation continues, there is only one response — strengthening the air defense system,” he added. Ukrainian strikes cripple Russian refining Ukrainian drones have struck Russian oil refineries at least 70 times since the beginning of 2026, pushing Russia’s refining output to its lowest level in two decades. By the end of August, gasoline production covered only around 70% of domestic demand, leaving a shortfall of roughly 30,000 tons per day. At least 17 Russian regions have introduced restrictions on fuel sales, including limits of 30-40 liters per vehicle and “odd-even” systems based on license-plate numbers. At least seven Russian refineries fully or partially halted production in August following drone attacks. On Sept. 2, the KINEF refinery in Leningrad Oblast – Russia’s second-largest refinery by capacity – completely stopped processing. Moscow turns to foreign fuel The worsening shortage has forced Russia to take an unprecedented step: importing gasoline by sea. Russian authorities have begun bringing in fuel from India, Morocco and Turkey, while also increasing gasoline purchases from Belarus to record levels. Alisa is the Head of News and a correspondent at Kyiv Post, where she leads the newsroom’s coverage of breaking events and global developments. With over seven years of experience in TV journalism, Alisa has reported on international and Ukrainian politics, making complex stories easier to understand. Back in September 2022, Alisa joined the Kyiv Post team.