Drones hit Russia's gas hinterland in northern Siberia for the first time

Drone Attack Ignites Fire at Major Gas Facility in Northern Siberia

Details and Impact of the Drone Attack on Siberian Gas Facilities

Incident Overview

MOSCOW, Sept 9 (Reuters) - An industrial facility caught fire in Novy Urengoy, a gas-producing city in northern Russia, following a drone attack, regional Governor Dmitry Artyukhov said on Wednesday, in the first such attack on the country's natural gas hinterland.

Artyukhov did not identify the facility involved.

Ukrainian Involvement and Statements

Ukraine's Special Forces said they carried out attacks on two gas condensate facilities in the region — in Novy Urengoy and in Purovsky district. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised the strikes for their effect on the Russian economy.

Official Responses and Damage Assessment

Artyukhov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said: "Most importantly, there were no fatalities or injuries. The extent and nature of the damage are being determined."

Russia's energy company Gazprom did not reply to a request for comment about the attack on the region, some 3,000 km (1,800 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Significance of the Targeted Facilities

The Ukrainian statement gave no details of any damage inflicted on the sites. It described the two plants as "crucial for the gas condensate industry."

"Previously, this was considered an absolutely safe area away from the front for the aggressor," it said.

Zelenskiy said it was "important to respond in an entirely fair manner to the Russian war and in just such a way that the enemy feels it."

Background on Novy Urengoy and Regional Gas Production

Novy Urengoy is Russia's unofficial gas capital, located in the Yamal-Nenets region in northern Western Siberia.

Gazprom used to export gas from Yamal as far as Western Europe until the ties broke down following the start of Russia's war in Ukraine in 2022.

It estimated the region's gas resources at 26.5 trillion cubic metres as of 2020, enough to cover global demand for more than six years.

Reporting and Editorial Credits

(Reporting by ReutersWriting by Maxim Rodionov and Vladimir SoldatkinEditing by Mark Trevelyan, Rod Nickel and Ron Popeski)