FACTBOX: What is known about new drone attack on TurkStream compressor station
The holding company clarified that the attack was carried out by three fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles
MOSCOW, April 2. /TASS/. Gazprom reported repelling another drone attack on the Russkaya compressor station of the TurkStream gas pipeline.
TASS has compiled the main details of the incident.
About the attack
- A new attack on a Gazprom export infrastructure facility was launched last night between 02:40 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. Moscow time.
- The Russkaya compressor station, which supplies gas via TurkStream, was attacked by a drone.
- The holding company clarified that the attack was carried out by three fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
- The attack was repelled by joint efforts of Russian Defense Ministry forces and mobile task forces, preventing damage to the Gazprom PJSC facility, the company stated.
Previous attacks
- On March 11, Gazprom reported repelling 12 attacks on the Russkaya, Beregovaya, and Kazachya compressor stations in southern Russia in the two weeks starting from February 24.
- The Defense Ministry reported that on the night of March 12, the Kiev regime launched an attack using 10 fixed-wing attack UAVs on the Russkaya compressor station in an attempt to cut off gas supplies to European consumers.
- Gazprom reported an escalation of attacks on its facilities supplying exports via the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines to Turkey on March 17-19.
- In particular, 22 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strike attempts were recorded at the Russkaya compressor station, three at the Kazachya compressor station, and one at the Beregovaya compressor station.
Response
- The goal of the Ukrainian armed forces' attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure is to impede a Ukrainian settlement in the spirit of the understandings reached between Russian and US leaders in Anchorage, stated Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
- Moscow notes the Ukrainian armed forces' ongoing attempts to inflict critical damage on the Blue Stream and TurkStream gas pipeline infrastructure, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko at a meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Moscow Tanju Bilgic.
- Hungary will appeal to the international community and declare Ukraine's actions state terrorism if it blows up TurkStream, warned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
A Ukrainian attack on the TurkStream gas pipeline in Turkey, which supplies Russian gas to Europe, would be considered an attack on a NATO country, with all the ensuing consequences for Kiev, warned Gergely Gulyas, Head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office.
About the pipeline
The TurkStream gas pipeline runs from Russia to Turkey across the Black Sea.
Its capacity is 31.5 billion cubic meters of gas.
The pipeline is designed to supply Turkey and countries in Southern and Southeastern Europe.
Currently, it remains the last active route for Russian gas supplies to Europe following the cessation of transit through Ukraine. The starting point of TurkStream is the Russkaya compressor station, built near Anapa.
Russia increased gas exports to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline by 10% in the first quarter, to 4.96 billion cubic meters. m, according to TASS calculations based on data from the European Network of Gas Transmission System Operators (ENTSOG).
- Earlier, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated that, thanks to the commissioning of the TurkStream gas pipeline, the republic has effectively protected itself from regional energy risks.
Source: https://tass.com