For days, long queues have formed at petrol stations, with rationing introduced, as Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries continued to prove a success.
Hardliners called for the Kremlin to respond to the latest assault with brutal force to deter any future cross-border attacks.
Putin did not respond personally to the attacks as he hosted south Asian leaders for a summit in the Russian city of Kazan.
But Sergey Lavrov, his veteran foreign minister, said: “It is no coincidence that the president announced some time ago, after another stunt by the Kyiv terrorists, that we would now carry out massive group strikes on a regular basis.”
“This task has been set by the supreme commander-in-chief, and our armed forces are fulfilling it and will continue to fulfil it.”
It is uncertain how Russia will respond, but its forces have frequently bombarded civilian targets across Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles and drones since the beginning of the war.
Mr Zelensky said the latest Ukrainian strikes were a “fully justified response” to previous Russian attacks, including one against an ancient cathedral in Kyiv. “If Ukraine burns, so will Moscow,” he added.
Kyiv has used its long-range attacks to pile pressure on Putin by ensuring that his war has an impact on everyday life in Russia.