Russia’s Lavrov accuses US of seeking to disable TurkStream gas pipeline
MOSCOW – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the United States on Tuesday of seeking to disable the TurkStream gas pipeline, through which Russian gas flows to Turkey and Europe.
Russia said on Monday it had downed nine Ukrainian drones that tried to attack part of the infrastructure of TurkStream and called the attack an “act of energy terrorism.”
The Russian defence ministry said the attack was aimed against a compressor station in the Krasnodar region of southern Russia, but the facility was working normally and there were no casualties.
TurkStream and Blue Stream, which run under the Black Sea to Turkey, are Russia’s last routes for supplying pipeline gas to Europe, after Ukraine at the start of the year refused to renew a five-year transit deal that kept gas pumping across its territory.
The gas pipeline begins at the Russkaya (Russian) compressor station outside the city of Anapa and runs to Kıyıköy in Turkey, and then on to Europe. Compressor stations are used to stabilise the pressure and flow rate of gas.
Lavrov made his comments during an annual press conference designed to summarise the work of Russian diplomacy, following statements by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, who said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very quickly” after taking office next week.
When asked about his strategy to end the war, Trump told Newsmax: “Well, there’s only one strategy, and it’s up to Putin, and I can’t imagine he’s too thrilled about the way it’s gone because it hasn’t gone exactly well for him either.
“And I know he wants to meet, and I’m going to meet very quickly. I would’ve done it sooner, but… you have to get into the office. For some of the things, you do have to be there.”
In response to Trump’s remarks, the Kremlin said on Tuesday that there is “nothing new” in this matter that requires comment.
