Finance
Russia Says Increased Ukrainian Attacks Threaten Gas Export Routes
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 19, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 19, 2026
Quick Summary
Russia warned that a recent surge in Ukrainian attacks on Gazprom’s TurkStream and Blue Stream compressor stations threatens vital infrastructure and energy routes at a time of heightened global instability, especially amid soaring gas prices due to the Middle East war.
Kremlin: Ukrainian Attacks Jeopardize Major Russian Gas Pipelines to Europe
Escalation of Attacks on Russian Gas Infrastructure
Intensification of Ukrainian Strikes on Compressor Stations
MOSCOW, March 19 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Thursday condemned what it called an intensification of Ukrainian attacks on Gazprom gas compressor stations serving two major pipelines, saying such incidents threatened critical infrastructure and international energy routes.
Gazprom said earlier that attacks on three compressor stations supporting the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines had increased in frequency this week, but all of them had been repelled.
Significance of TurkStream and Blue Stream Pipelines
The two pipelines carry Russia gas across the Black Sea to Turkey, from which some of it is pumped to European countries including Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia.
They are Russia's last remaining pipeline routes serving Europe, at a time when gas prices have spiked sharply because of the war in the Middle East.
Ukrainian and Russian Strategies Targeting Energy Infrastructure
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which throughout the four-year conflict has targeted Russian energy infrastructure as a means of undercutting Moscow's war effort and reducing its revenue.
Russia has also pounded Ukrainian energy targets including its electricity grid, frequently cutting off power and heating.
Kremlin's Response and Global Energy Market Impact
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the latest Ukrainian attacks created an additional threat to energy markets at a time of "extreme destabilisation" caused by the Middle East war.
"Our military is doing everything possible to eliminate this threat. But this is a threat to critical infrastructure. It is a threat to international energy routes," Peskov told reporters.
"And at a time when global energy markets are feeling, to put it mildly, uneasy, such irresponsible, thoughtless actions by the Kyiv regime are capable of further destabilising the situation."
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; writing by Lucy Papachristou; editing by Mark Trevelyan and Jason Neely)
Key Takeaways
- •Gazprom reported at least 12 drone attacks on compressor stations for TurkStream and Blue Stream this week; all were repelled, but Russia stressed the threat to critical energy infrastructure.
- •TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines are Russia’s last remaining routes supplying gas to Europe, important for countries such as Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia.
- •These attacks occur amid a spike in global energy prices driven by the Middle East conflict, further destabilizing already fragile markets.
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia says increased Ukrainian attacks threaten gas export routes
1Which gas pipelines are affected by Ukrainian attacks?
The TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines, which transport Russian gas across the Black Sea to Turkey and onward to European countries, have been targeted.
2Why does Russia consider these attacks a threat to international energy routes?
Russia views the increased attacks on its pipeline infrastructure as a danger to critical international energy routes and markets, especially during existing global instability.
3What has been Ukraine's aim in targeting Russian energy infrastructure?
Ukraine has targeted Russian energy sites to disrupt Moscow's war efforts and reduce its energy revenue.
4Has Gazprom responded to the attacks?
Gazprom reported that attacks on compressor stations have risen but stated all incidents were repelled.
5How does the current situation impact global energy markets?
The attacks threaten to further destabilize global energy markets, already strained by the war in the Middle East and rising gas prices.
