Nationwide fuel shortages are beginning to put pressure on Russia’s agricultural sector, despite directives from President Vladimir Putin to guarantee farmers enough supplies for the harvest and planting seasons, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said Friday. “There are rough patches on the ground, and we’ll work through them with each specific region and business as needed,” Lut said at a farming forum in Siberia. She cited a directive issued by Putin last month ordering a strict fuel delivery schedule for farms to counter the impact of Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries. Her comments also come as Ukrainian attacks on shipping vessels have forced Russia, the world’s leading grain exporter, to restrict shipping in the Sea of Azov. These reciprocal strikes on cargo vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov drove up global wheat prices this week. Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times.