Russia thwarts drone attack on TurkStream gas hub in Krasnodar

Gazprom confirmed that its Russkaya compressor station in the Krasnodar region, a vital hub for natural gas exports via the TurkStream pipeline, was targeted by three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the early hours of April 2.

The state-owned energy giant stated that the attack was successfully repelled through the coordinated efforts of Russian Ministry of Defense forces and mobile operational units. Gazprom reported that the facility sustained no damage during the engagement.

This incident follows a series of similar strikes against the infrastructure supporting the TurkStream network. The Ministry of Defense previously reported a UAV attack on the same station on the night of March 12. According to ministry data, that operation was launched by Ukraine with the intent to disrupt gas supplies to European Union consumers.

Further attempted strikes occurred between March 17 and March 19, targeting the Russkaya, Kazachya, and Beregovaya compressor stations. Gazprom records indicate that its facilities were targeted 12 times between February 24 and March 11.

The latest attempt took place between 12:40 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. local time. Russian officials reiterated that the proactive response from military and mobile teams ensured the continued reliability of the TurkStream export route.

Strategic significance of TurkStream

TurkStream serves as a critical conduit for Russian natural gas exports to Türkiye and beyond via the Black Sea. With an annual capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters, the project was engineered to transport Gazprom’s gas through Türkiye to Southern and Eastern European nations, including Hungary and Slovakia.

The infrastructure consists of two parallel strings, each capable of pumping 15.75 billion cubic meters annually. In 2025, the system delivered 18.1 billion cubic meters to Europe and 7.6 billion cubic meters to the Turkish market. Additionally, the Blue Stream pipeline, operational since 2003, transported 13.6 billion cubic meters in 2025.

Türkiye remains heavily reliant on Russia for its energy needs. In 2025, Gazprom supplied 21 billion cubic meters to the country, accounting for 37% of its total foreign gas procurement. Ongoing instability involving Iran has pressured Türkiye’s import balance, which relied on Iranian sources for 14% of its needs in 2025 (8.23 billion cubic meters). Furthermore, the country’s entire liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure is vital to its energy security, as it imported 13 million tons of LNG in 2025, representing 29% of its total imports.