Ankara, Republic of Turkey (Weltexpress). Ukraine’s attack on the TurkStream gas pipeline compressor station is aimed not only at disrupting gas transportation, but also at influencing the geopolitical dynamics between Russia, Turkey and Europe, Abdullah Agar, a leading Turkish security expert, told TASS.
‘The purpose itself is clear: to somehow influence the positions of the parties [in the Ukraine conflict] due to the sensitivity of the gas issue. This is an attempt to influence the position of Russia, Turkey and the parties that purchase gas through Turkey. On the other hand, the attack on the station is the latest attempt to affect Turkey-Russia relations and Turkey’s efforts to become a gas hub,’ Abdullah Agar said.
This incident has far-reaching implications for all parties involved in the Ukraine conflict. It is a strategic attempt to exert pressure on a wide spectrum rather than targeting a single actor. The choice of this particular target is significant given its implications for energy geopolitics. This act of sabotage is comparable to the previous incidents related to the Nord Stream pipelines.
The Russian Ministry of Defence announced that Kiev had sent nine drones to attack the infrastructure of the Russkaya compressor station in the Krasnodar region, which supplies gas to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline. Despite the attack, the station remains operational and continues to supply gas to the pipeline as usual.
