Russia has accused Ukraine of attempting to attack the TurkStream gas pipeline infrastructure in southern Russia with drones.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, nine drones were sent to target the Russkaya compressor station in the Krasnodar region near the Black Sea.
The ministry said all drones were shot down, but debris from one caused minor damage to a gas metering station at the site.
Emergency teams quickly repaired the damage, and the gas pipeline continues to operate normally. There were no injuries or casualties reported.
The TurkStream pipeline is a critical route for Russian natural gas, running under the Black Sea from Russia to Turkey and then supplying gas to European countries, including Hungary.
After Ukraine stopped allowing Russian gas to transit through its territory at the beginning of this year, TurkStream and another pipeline, Blue Stream, became Russia’s only remaining routes to supply gas to Europe by pipeline.
Hungary, which depends on TurkStream for its gas, called for the pipeline’s safety to be respected. Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto described any threat to energy supply as an attack on sovereignty.
The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of engaging in “energy terrorism” by targeting the pipeline. A Kremlin spokesperson also claimed that Western countries supported Ukraine’s actions.
Russia also criticised recent U.S. sanctions against its oil sector, saying they were destabilising global energy markets. The alleged attack follows growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which have been at war since 2022.
In January, Ukraine ended a long-standing agreement that allowed Russian gas to transit through its territory, forcing European countries like Austria and Slovakia to find alternative energy sources.
Despite the alleged attack, gas supplies through TurkStream remain unaffected. Discussions about the incident have taken place between Russian and Turkish officials.
The pipeline’s security has become even more critical since the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea in 2022.
The TurkStream pipeline is now one of Russia’s last operational routes for delivering gas to southern and southeastern Europe.
References: Reuters, France24