The Russian ruler has been bombing Ukraine mercilessly for four years. Now Vladimir Putin complained about counterattacks by his opponent.
April 29, 2026, 04:36April 29, 2026, 04:36
Christoph Cöln / t-online
The Russian ruler gave a rare insight into the current situation in his country. Vladimir Putin also criticized the Ukrainian attacks against civilian objects and important infrastructure in Russia, including refineries. “Drones are increasingly being used to attack civilian infrastructure,” he said at a meeting on security issues in the upcoming Duma elections in the fall.
“The most recent example is the attacks on energy facilities in Tuapse, which could potentially have serious consequences for the environment.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin only thinks drone attacks are great when they are carried out by his own army.Image: keystone
In doing so, the authoritarian president indirectly admitted that the Ukrainians’ military strategy was certainly successful. Ukraine has launched three serious attacks on oil reservoirs in the Black Sea city of Tuapse within the past two weeks.
However, as Putin claims, these are not exclusively civil infrastructure objects. The refineries are also used to supply the Russian military – and thus serve as supplies in Putin’s war of aggression against the neighboring country, which violates international law.
However, there is also criticism of the attacks from environmentalists. When serious fires broke out again after the latest attack on Tuesday night, the authorities called for the first time to evacuate nearby streets. Even according to official information, limit values for benzene, xylene and soot in the air were exceeded by two to three times. When it rained, the oil particles in the air formed black, greasy spots that dirty houses and cars – people and animals also suffered. Oil products also entered the Black Sea.
Putin downplays danger
In his speech, Putin spoke of “potentially serious consequences” for the environment, but denied that there were currently any serious dangers for residents. The authorities had everything under control, he claimed after a conversation with the governor of the Krasnodar region, Venjamin Kondratiev.
Kiev is deliberately targeting the oil industry in its attacks because Russia uses its revenue to finance the war against Ukraine ordered by Putin. Russia has also been systematically shelling its neighbor’s hinterland for more than four years, using drones and missiles. Russian attacks in Ukraine cause civilians to die almost every day, and homes and infrastructure vital to their residents are destroyed.
Only at the end of the winter did Putin’s army carry out the most serious attacks on civilian infrastructure in the neighboring country, destroying important energy facilities. This resulted in hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine being cut off from electricity and gas supplies. Many people froze in their homes for months at temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees.
Political scientist: Putin supposedly only receives reports of success
Until now, Putin had always downplayed the Ukrainian drone attacks and claimed that the attacks were completely ineffective. Probably also because his subordinates are supposed to withhold important information about the course of the war from him. “He no longer meets with the highest military leadership. This was instructed to continue to only submit reports in which successes were achieved [auf dem Schlachtfeld] be reported. However, information about Ukrainian successes – for example in drone warfare – continues to leak through the Kremlin’s censorship,” writes Russian political scientist Pawel K. Baew from the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO).
According to Baev, the Russian autocrat is suffering from an increasing disconnect from reality – and not just when it comes to the course of the war. Putin’s advisers and Kremlin confidants also seem to want to hide the serious economic crisis that Russia is already in, and which experts say could get worse, from the ruler. While some economists have given up their reluctance and are warning of an “epic failure” of current economic policy in Russia, “Putin’s subordinates do not dare to tell him the truth,” said Baev.
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