Turkish energy minister confirms TurkStream attack, gas flow unaffected
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (R) and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during TurkStream natural gas pipeline, a key energy project between Türkiye and Russia for energy transportation openin ceremony. (Collage by Türkiye Today staffer)
Following an attempted attack on the TurkStream natural gas pipeline on Jan. 11, Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, confirmed the attack took place but assured the public that the incident did not disrupt the gas flow.
Responding to questions from journalists in the Turkish Parliament, Bayraktar stated: “There was no interruption in gas flow after the attack. The pipeline continues to deliver gas at the same capacity.”
Attack details
The Russian Ministry of Defense has recently reported an attempt allegedly conducted by Ukraine to attack the compressor station in the Krasnodar region, which supplies natural gas to the TurkStream pipeline, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
In a written statement, the Defense Ministry provided details about an attempted attack on the infrastructure of the TurkStream pipeline.
Why TurkStream is strategically critical?
The TurkStream pipeline is a vital energy corridor, delivering natural gas from Russia to Türkiye and onward to southern and southeastern Europe.
In 2024, gas shipments via TurkStream increased by 23%, reaching 16.7 billion cubic meters. The pipeline operates in two sections: one serving Türkiye directly and the other supplying European countries.
With a total project capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters annually, TurkStream plays a key role in ensuring energy security for the region. In 2023, European deliveries of Russian gas, including flows through Ukrainian transit routes, amounted to 28.15 billion cubic meters.
‘TurkStream remains only pipeline route supplying Russian natural gas to Europe’
State energy company BOTAS’ former General Manager Gokhan Yardim, speaking to Türkiye Today, said: “The expiration and non-renewal of the contract for transporting Russian gas via the pipeline through Ukraine have brought forward the possibility of transporting 15 billion cubic meters of gas annually through TurkStream.”
Speaking about the current pipeline routes that are actively supplying Russian natural gas to Europe, Yardim said, “By 2025, TurkStream remains the only pipeline route supplying Russian natural gas to Europe through Türkiye. Of the two pipelines, each with a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters running under the Black Sea, one serves Türkiye’s domestic needs, while the other is used for transit to Bulgaria via the Strandzha station.”
“After Türkiye, the pipeline, known as the Balkan route, carries gas through Bulgaria and Serbia to Hungary. Both Serbia and Hungary currently receive Russian gas through this route. There is also a pipeline connection between Hungary and Slovakia, and if gas supplies can be arranged through this route, Russian gas can be traded across Central Europe via Slovakia,” he added.
