Why this score Russia's deputy prime minister for energy and former energy minister; authoritative as the primary record of Russian government energy decisions and, unusually for a Russian official, has conceded unfavourable facts on the record — he announced fuel-product imports in July 2026. That makes his admissions against interest usable and his reassurances not: his characterisations of the situation as improving have repeatedly preceded further shutdowns. Set at the Russian-official band, above the pure spokesman tier.
The situation is changing every day. We're constantly monitoring it and are making decisions at our headquarters. We're gathering the federal headquarters with the regions and all of our companies twice a week.
Still unverified a week on. Putin said on 3 September repairs would finish 'in the very near future', again naming no plant and no volume; ISW judges them costly and drawn out, and Ukraine's General Staff says Kstovo remains suspended.