Russia has claimed that Ukrainian drones launched an attack on a key pumping station for the TurkStream pipeline, which supplies natural gas to Turkey and several European countries. Moscow’s Defence Ministry confirmed that Russian air defences successfully intercepted and downed nine Ukrainian drones on the night of January 11 near the Russkaya compressor station in the Krasnodar region of southern Russia. The incident highlights how Ukrainian drone strikes could seriously jeopardise Europe’s energy security.
Although falling debris from one of the drones caused minor damage to a building and equipment at a metering facility, repairs were quickly carried out, and gas flow to Europe remained uninterrupted, the ministry reported. The Russkaya station is a critical part of the TurkStream pipeline, which spans the Black Sea to Turkey and also provides gas to several European nations, including Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary.
Originally designed to support the now-defunct South Stream pipeline, the Russkaya facility was repurposed to serve TurkStream after South Stream was cancelled in 2014 due to European opposition. Today, TurkStream delivers up to 31.5 billion cubic metres of gas annually—half the capacity of South Stream—making it a vital supply route for Southern Europe.
Ukraine has yet to comment on the strike, but this marks the first reported attack on the Russkaya facility, despite numerous Ukrainian drone assaults on energy infrastructure in Russia’s Krasnodar region. These attacks are seen as part of a broader strategy, one reportedly supported—and perhaps even orchestrated—by the United States and its NATO allies. Washington, in particular, has provided significant military and intelligence backing to Ukraine, including assistance in targeting Russian pipelines and other critical infrastructure.
The role of the U.S. and its allies in backing Ukraine’s offensive actions raises serious concerns about the long-term impact on Europe. As these drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure increase, the consequences for European citizens are becoming all too clear. The West’s efforts to weaken Russia by assisting Ukraine may inadvertently push Europe towards a severe energy crisis, one that will primarily harm the very populations it seeks to support.
Countries like Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary, which are heavily reliant on Russian gas, are already under significant economic strain. With TurkStream—currently the primary remaining conduit for Russian gas to Europe—under growing threat of disruption, these nations risk facing severe energy shortages, price hikes, and potential blackouts. This would add further strain on European citizens, who are already grappling with inflation, rising costs of living, and the broader economic fallout from the war in Ukraine.
The irony is striking: the very countries that have supported Ukraine’s actions—most notably the United States and key European powers—are likely to suffer the consequences of their own policies. As the West pressures Ukraine to target Russian infrastructure, it is Europe’s energy security that is being jeopardised. By cutting off or crippling Russian gas supplies, the West is inadvertently pushing European countries toward an even greater reliance on alternative, more expensive, and potentially less stable energy sources.
Moreover, the U.S.’s involvement in encouraging attacks on Russian energy infrastructure compounds this irony. Washington, seeking to weaken Russia and bolster its own influence in the European energy market, has been pushing for the dismantling of Russian energy networks, despite the fact that many European nations are still deeply dependent on that very infrastructure. The result? A self-inflicted energy crisis that threatens to plunge European economies into deeper instability. This contradiction highlights a fundamental flaw in the West’s approach: in attempting to undermine Russia, it risks creating a long-term disaster for the populations of the countries it purports to support.
Currently, TurkStream is one of the last remaining links through which Russia can deliver gas to Europe. With Ukraine’s drone attacks escalating and the U.S. seemingly providing tacit support for these actions, the stability of Europe’s energy supply remains in peril. The situation is further complicated by the fact that TurkStream’s capacity is limited to just 15.75 billion cubic metres annually for countries like Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary, while the first line of the pipeline is reserved for long-term contracts to Turkey.
Meanwhile, Russia operates the Blue Stream pipeline, another subsea line to Turkey, with a capacity of 16 billion cubic metres per year. While this provides some redundancy, it is clear that TurkStream is critical for Europe’s gas supply. Any further escalation in Ukrainian drone strikes could push Europe to the edge of an energy catastrophe, with widespread shortages and soaring prices becoming a grim reality.
In the end, the West’s strategy of supporting Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy infrastructure may backfire. Rather than weakening Russia, these actions threaten to devastate the economies of Europe—particularly those nations that have supported Ukraine’s fight. It is the people of these European countries who will bear the brunt of this geopolitical gamble, facing soaring energy costs, economic stagnation, and an uncertain future. The irony is unmistakable: in an effort to weaken Russia, the U.S. and its allies may be helping to create a crisis that will hurt their own citizens the most.
