Ukraine’s long-range strikes have forced Russia to import fuel, more Russians want war to end – Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that fuel shortages in Russia have led to a significant increase in the number of Russians who want the war against Ukraine to end.
He said this during a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Kyiv, Censor.NET reports.
Energy shortages as key indicator of Armed Forces’ success
Responding to journalists’ questions about the Kremlin’s reaction to the intensification of Ukraine’s long-range strikes, Zelenskyy noted that Russia’s military leadership traditionally responds with overnight terror attacks and ballistic missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. However, the main change is taking place within Russian society itself, which has felt the consequences of the war acutely in its own pocket.
"We all experience Russia’s response in exactly the same way, whether you are on Bankova Street, in Troieshchyna, Odesa, our Kharkiv or anywhere else. These are drone and missile strikes. It seems to me that this is their constant response, and it does not change. It either intensifies or there are brief pauses, but they (resort to this) not because they have come to understand that they need to change the course of this war and move towards peace. No, they are preparing.
We are stepping up our responses, and they are stepping up their aggressive strikes. These are predictable developments. But there is one indicator: Russian society, which is experiencing shortages of energy resources in Russia following continued Ukrainian strikes deep inside the Russian Federation. This has resulted in Russia itself now having to import certain products, despite having always been one of the world’s largest exporters of energy resources. What does this affect? Of course, our main objective was to reduce the amount of money they spend exclusively on the defence industry, which means exclusively on the war," Zelenskyy explained.
Russia is now seeing a decline in revenues from petroleum product sales.
"Diesel and petrol shortages caused by Ukraine’s disruption of logistics in Russia have made these indicators more positive for us. Why? Because the number of people in Russia who want this war to end has begun to increase. We have no illusions. I do not believe that more people have begun to treat us with respect. Nor do I believe that they want us to have a good life. But what we can clearly see is that the number of people who genuinely want this war to end has increased severalfold. For now, these are the only indicators," the president added.
Threat of September mobilisation and conditions for peace
The head of state warned that the coming months leading up to Russia’s domestic elections would be marked by escalation. However, after September, the situation could develop according to one of two scenarios:
"In September, after the elections, I cannot tell you for certain — they may intensify their escalatory actions. One of those steps could be a larger mobilisation. Could that happen? It could. Or they may be ready for dialogue. Could that happen? I am certain it could. The Americans want it, yes. Europe wants it very much."
- At the same time, Zelenskyy outlined Ukraine’s clear position on the conditions for ending the war: the priority is a ceasefire to begin negotiations, but without Moscow issuing ultimatums in advance. To achieve this, the Defence Forces must continue applying military pressure.
