Putin admits: Russia facing problems in war in Ukraine

"Of course, they create problems, that's clear", Putin said. "currently we are seeing a certain absence, but it is not critical. "

Putin said Moscow would try to ease shortages by increasing fuel imports, while doubling efforts to protect refinerys from Ukrainian-based attacks and restore damaged infrastructure as soon as possible, writes The Guardian, broadcast Periscope.

The attacks show Ukraine's intention to strike strategic targets far from the front line, forcing the Kremlin to divert resources to protect critical infrastructure, as Russia's advances in the field of battle have slowed significantly.

On Sunday, Voldymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian fears had targeted refinerys in Krai Krasnodar and in the Yaroslavl region.

Ukrainian-based attacks have reduced Russia's oil refining capacity by approximately a quarter, leaving the domestic fuel market to try to cope with demand and creating a supply shortage of about 15%, analysts say.

Despite military obstacles in some parts of the front and economic difficulties, the Russian president argued the West had failed to achieve its goals.

The “West has failed to defeat Russia in the field of battle, so it is now trying to destabilise the political situation in the country, but it will not succeed”, he said.

Putin also claimed Ukrainian forces were withdrawing “in all directions”, although such claims have not been independently confirmed.

At the same time, he accused Ukraine of using the <x0mmetodial”, claiming that the West was using it as a “via in the fight against Russia”.

The Russian president has said his country is under an unprecedented “pressure from” from Western countries and accused the West of ignoring Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory while simultaneously imposing new sanctions on Moscow, which he called illegal.