Putin makes rare admission of fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian strikes

"We won't give them that chance," he said, adding that Ukraine's long range strikes were having "absolutely no impact on the situation at the front line".The authorities in Kyiv challenge this assessment, saying Ukraine's long range attacks are designed not only to bring the war home to ordinary Russians but also to force their military commanders to divert resources away from the front line. In recent months, Ukraine has been growing in confidence that the tide of war was turning in its favour, launching deep strikes on St Petersburg and Moscow, stepping up attacks on Crimea, and openly seeking to inflict maximum casualties along the front line. But the Kremlin said on Monday Russia's plans remained the same – to force Ukrainian forces to leave four south-eastern regions that Moscow claims as its own, which Kyiv rejects. "Our position is well known," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.In his interview Putin claimed Ukraine was offering to limit hostilities and begin talks - although he dismissed this as an attempt by Kyiv to buy time to regroup and rearm."It is clear why this proposal is being made, because our counter-strikes deep into Ukrainian territory are much stronger, have greater impact and are, frankly, more destructive," Putin said.Kyiv's strikes on Russia, he insisted, were meant to be the "salvation" of the Ukrainian army, which Putin insisted was "catastrophically" depleted."But saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans."