Name? Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
Westphalian identity? Russian
Age? 73
Why is he in the news? As Ukrainian missile and drone attacks on Russian oil refineries intensify, fuel shortages have begun to worsen in the country. In response to this, Russian President Putin has dismissed concerns as non-critical and affirmed that the “special military operation” will continue until all demands are met. Nonetheless, Russians have been waiting in queues spanning kilometers with many gas stations drying up and most regions enforcing limits on the sale of fuel.
Why do we care? Acknowledging the fuel shortage is a rare occurrence for Putin, which he is using to legitimise an escalation of his own tactics in the operation against Ukraine in retaliation. Russian progress in Ukraine has stalled over the past few months, leaving Putin with an increasingly frustrated populace and an alleged 30,000 casualties a month.
Why should you care? Soon after Putin’s statement, he launched Russia’s “most massive” attack on Kyiv. Over 11 hours, the assault deployed the largest number of weapons on the capital and struck the most locations since the beginning of the conflict. This conflict has already lasted over four years; however, its intensity continues to increase.
Who else cares? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is naturally a close observer of the current shortages in Russia. It demonstrates the current success of his tactics to maintain the frontline while attacking ever closer to the heart of Russia. The shortages also come as he announced a 40-day intelligence and military campaign to pressure Russia to end the conflict after his open letter to Putin offering negotiations was turned down. The previous peace talks between Russia and Ukraine occurred in February of this year with no conclusion.
Any further comments? In order to address the fuel shortage, Putin has turned to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has provided nearly 60,000 metric tons of gasoline for the country.
