Key statements from President Putin's meeting with Cabinet on fuel situation

Key statements from President Putin's meeting with Cabinet on fuel situation The president noted that Russia's current fuel difficulties are temporary, adding that the country's energy sector possesses a high margin of safety© Gavriil Grigorov/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASSMOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the cabinet on the operation of the fuel and transport sectors under current conditions. Putin instructed officials to fast-track decisions on fuel supplies to Crimea rather than merely "showing a willingness to consider" them. The president noted that Russia's current fuel difficulties are temporary, adding that the country's energy sector possesses a high margin of safety. The government has rescheduled several oil refinery maintenance projects to later dates and activated additional capacities to stabilize the domestic market, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told the president during the meeting. TASS has compiled the key statements from the meeting. Putin's statements Kiev is seeking to damage the Russian economy, but its primary goal is to spark anxiety in society, Putin stated: "It is absolutely clear that the enemy is seeking to damage the economy. But most importantly, it is seeking to create a nervous atmosphere in society. We understand that this is an impossible task." Russia's energy sector possesses a high safety margin, ensuring Kiev will not succeed: "The safety margin of the Russian energy system is very high, one of the highest in the world." The current fuel shortages are temporary, tied in part to the enemy's desire to disrupt the holiday season: "These are temporary, completely obvious things, and are also linked to actions to disrupt the holiday season for our citizens in the south of the country, including Crimea." Major oil companies must supply independent filling stations rather than hoarding fuel within their own networks: "We simply need to organize collaboration with vertically integrated companies and reach agreements so that they, too, don't "hold" the product exclusively within their own distribution networks, within their own gas stations, but rather provide the necessary product to independent gas stations as well." "The involvement of small and medium-sized businesses in this [oil refining] sector is also in demand and is also encouraged, and we will work even more intensively in this regard. Of course, you are absolutely right: the wider the network, the more difficult it is to damage it." Instructions have been issued to fast-track decisions on fuel supplies to Crimea rather than merely expressing a willingness to consider them: "Let's agree that the wording will be different. Not simply 'ready to consider,' not simply 'consider,' but 'consider and make a decision as quickly as possible.' There's no need to drag it out." Major corporations, such as Rosneft, are also cooperating with small private gas stations, an effort expected to yield positive results. Major corporations like Rosneft also cooperate with small private gas stations, an effort expected to yield "positive results." Government agencies must be supplied with fuel, but citizens should not face additional burdens either: "We must, of course, meet the needs of government agencies, law enforcement agencies, and security forces--that's obvious. But we also keep in mind that citizens should not feel any particular burden." Novak has been instructed to report to the President and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on the progress of resolving fuel issues. Novak’s statements The government has rescheduled several oil refinery maintenance projects to later dates and activated additional capacities: "The government has taken the following measures to stabilize the domestic market. First, we have increased the capacity utilization of existing refineries to the maximum level, released previously accumulated fuel volumes to the market, and reduced the duration of routine maintenance. Scheduled maintenance has been postponed." Russian authorities have imposed a ban on diesel exports: "Today, we have imposed a ban on diesel fuel exports, which will allow for increased supplies to the domestic market." Russia will begin importing petroleum products this July to balance the domestic market: "We will also begin importing petroleum products in July and are increasing additional production volumes by sourcing petroleum products of lower environmental class." Major Russian oil companies have "begun to prioritize supplying fuel directly to consumers through their own gas stations, as well as to regions where independent operators predominate." The Russian government has worked with Russian Railways to secure potential tariff discounts for imported fuel shipments: "We have worked with Russian Railways to discuss the possibility of providing discounts on railway tariffs to ensure economic conditions for imported fuel. To increase additional fuel supplies to the domestic market, amendments to the Tax Code have been promptly introduced." Fuel situation in Crimea Fuel is being supplied to Crimea by major oil companies, but due to logistics complications, it remains more expensive at cost than in other regions: "Due to the complicated logistics, and obviously due to changes in delivery routes and methods, fuel is now, of course, more expensive than in other regions, even at cost." Russian authorities, alongside the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), are looking into the reasons for the higher fuel prices in Crimea and Sevastopol, Novak stated: "It so happened that there have always been private companies involved in supply. Currently, the resources supplied to Crimea and Sevastopol are supplied by vertical companies, fuel producers. Due to the complicated logistics, fuel will be more expensive, even at cost. We are investigating this issue together with the Federal Antimonopoly Service." Novak noted that Crimea and Sevastopol require fuel subsidies to align prices: "In general, if we're talking about leveling up to an economically justified level in line with other regions, then a subsidy is certainly needed." The Transport Ministry is making every effort to deliver fuel to the peninsula, cooperating closely with regional authorities, the Transport minister said: "We are doing everything possible to deliver fuel to the Crimean Peninsula." Nikitin's statements Russia's transport system is functioning smoothly, with key hubs operating as headline, Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin stated: "The Russian transport system is operating smoothly in the current challenging situation, ensuring the transportation of freight and passengers. Key hubs--airports, train stations, ports, public transport, and highways--are operating normally." Vehicles carrying fuel are passing through checkpoints via a "green corridor": "To normalize fuel deliveries, vehicles carrying fuel and lubricants are passing through a 'green corridor.'" He noted that bus services across the country are "running on schedule": "Despite enemy attacks, no widespread disruptions have been reported." The situation in Russian civil aviation remains under control, "despite the reduction in the usual fuel supply." The minister added that demand for transportation remains stable. From January to May 2026, Russian airlines carried "39,540,000 passengers," with passenger load factors remaining at nearly 90% during this period. Passenger traffic on Russian rail transport reached 115.2 million in June, "more than 4% higher than the 2025 figure," the minister clarified. On the situation in the Russian fuel and energy sector Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the government, jointly with oil companies, had prepared additional proposals to supply the domestic fuel market. He noted that Russia had begun drawing on its fuel reserves, though gasoline stockpiles in the country remained virtually unchanged from last year's levels. The head of state also announced that a complete ban on diesel fuel exports was being considered. The day before, at a meeting in the government's situation center, Novak instructed relevant agencies, regional authorities, and industry companies to promptly take all possible measures to prevent localized disruptions in fuel supplies, the cabinet reported following the session on the fuel market. Novak also previously told TASS that Russia had accumulated sufficient fuel reserves to supply the domestic market, but panic buying had led to a demand increase of approximately 20-30%. He noted that restructuring the system's logistics networks to meet these needs would take some time. Novak stated that, to replenish domestic supply, a short-term ban on diesel exports for producers, spanning several months, could be imposed. 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