Ukraine war briefing: Putin expects US negotiators in Moscow; fuel rationing in Siberia as crisis bites

What Happened

Vladimir Putin stated he expects US negotiators to travel to Moscow once Washington reaches an agreement with Iran over the Middle East conflict, saying Russia is ready to continue negotiations and discuss all details. The comment followed Donald Trump's suggestion that Russia should 'make a deal with Ukraine' and his subsequent assessment that Volodymyr Zelenskyy was 'doing well' in the war. Separately, Putin acknowledged a 'certain shortage' of fuel resulting from Ukrainian retaliatory strikes on energy infrastructure, calling the situation 'not critical' but noting that improving air defences and protecting fuel supplies, particularly in Russian-occupied Crimea, is a priority; fuel deliveries to Crimea by land and sea will be increased. The governor of Siberia's Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev, imposed a ration of 50 litres of fuel per vehicle per day at state-run Rosneft stations as shortages spread, while Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow was reviewing fuel export agreements to safeguard domestic supplies. Zelenskyy claimed Ukrainian forces struck two Russian oil refineries over the weekend: a drone strike on the Slavyansk-na-Kubani refinery in Krasnodar region killed one person and wounded another, and a strike on a refinery in Yaroslavl region, around 700 km from the Ukrainian border, was reported, with local governor Mikhail Evraev closing roads due to an enemy drone attack. Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces shot down 213 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russia, occupied Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas; Ukraine's air force reported downing 125 of 142 long-range strike drones and seven of eight missiles launched by Russia. In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian attack killed two people and injured 16, including two children, according to regional administration head Ivan Fedorov; in Belgorod, acting governor Alexander Shuvayev said Ukrainian drone strikes killed one and injured another.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Putin's diplomatic signal suggests a possible opening for US-brokered talks, but it is conditional on a separate Middle East deal, while Trump's shifting comments add uncertainty. Meanwhile, Ukraine's sustained campaign against Russian energy infrastructure is creating tangible domestic pressure: forced fuel rationing in Siberia indicates the strikes are disrupting supply chains far from the front lines. Moscow's acknowledgment of a shortage and the need to boost air defences in Crimea underscore the operational impact, potentially constraining Russian military logistics and forcing resource reallocation.

Watch For

Monitor announcements from Washington on sending negotiators to Moscow; any further fuel rationing measures in other Russian regions; the frequency and reach of Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries; Russia's adjustments to air defence coverage around energy infrastructure; and whether the fuel crisis triggers changes to Russia's export policies or domestic unrest.