President Vladimir Putin acknowledged for the first time Sunday that Russia is facing fuel shortages following a wave of Ukrainian attacks deep inside the country.

Putin said a task force was working to alleviate the issue, which has grown into a serious crisis as the Kremlin grapples with simmering discontent on a range of issues.

Moscow must now also contend with the renewed engagement of the United States, with President Donald Trump offering public praise for Kyiv’s efforts.

“These attacks on our infrastructure facilities do create problems, that is obvious,” Putin said in an interview with a state TV reporter, which marked the first time he publicly addressed the toll Kyiv’s campaign has taken on Russia’s energy sector.

But while Russia was “currently seeing a certain shortage” of fuel, he said, “the problems that have arisen are not of a critical nature.”