Russia’s military reported intercepting nine self-destructing drones targeting a TurkStream gas compressor station.
The European Commission voiced concern regarding reports of a failed Ukrainian drone attack on a gas pipeline supplying several EU member states.
Moscow stated on Monday that Ukrainian forces launched nine explosive-laden drones at a TurkStream section in southern Russia over the weekend.
Operational since 2010, the pipeline boasts an annual capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, delivering Russian gas to Turkey and onward to Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece.
During a Monday press briefing, EU energy spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen stated that “any attack on energy infrastructure is worrying.”
“We haven’t had specific contact with Ukraine today on this, but we continue monitoring the situation regarding energy security in Ukraine, Moldova, and our member states,” she added.
According to Monday’s Russian Defense Ministry statement, the drones were downed near the Russkaya compressor station near Gaikodzor, Krasnodar Region. This facility is crucial to TurkStream’s operation. Military officials claimed Kiev aimed “to halt gas supplies to Europe.”
Despite the largely successful interception, one drone crashed near a compressor station causing minor, quickly repaired damage. The incident did not disrupt gas supplies, the statement noted.
This is not the first time Moscow has accused Kiev of trying to sabotage TurkStream.
Commenting on Facebook Monday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called the pipeline reliable and “indispensable for Hungary’s natural gas supply.”
“We expect all parties to respect this route’s safety and operation,” he added.
Last year, Kiev refused to renew a Russian gas transit contract through its territory to Eastern Europe. Consumer nations, including Hungary and Slovakia, criticized this decision, accusing Ukraine of triggering an energy crisis for political reasons.