On January 11, Türkiye’s Energy Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, confirmed an attack on the TurkStream natural gas pipeline but reassured the public that gas deliveries continued without disruption.
In a statement to reporters at the Turkish Parliament, Bayraktar said, “There was no interruption in gas flow after the attack. The pipeline continues to operate at full capacity.” This follows reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense, which indicated that Ukraine had attempted to target the compressor station in the Krasnodar region, which supplies gas to TurkStream, using drones.
The Russian Ministry of Defense released a report detailing the attempted attack on the TurkStream infrastructure.
Why TurkStream is Crucial
The TurkStream pipeline is a major energy route, transporting natural gas from Russia to Türkiye and extending to southern and southeastern Europe.
In 2024, gas shipments via TurkStream rose by 23%, reaching 16.7 billion cubic meters. The pipeline is divided into two sections: one serves Türkiye, and the other provides gas to European countries.
With a total capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters per year, TurkStream is vital for regional energy security. In 2023, Russia’s gas deliveries to Europe, including those through Ukraine, totaled 28.15 billion cubic meters.
TurkStream: The Last Pipeline for Russian Gas to Europe
Gokhan Yardim, former General Manager of Türkiye’s state energy company BOTAS, spoke to Türkiye Today about the importance of TurkStream. He explained that the expiration and non-renewal of the contract for Russian gas transit through Ukraine have made TurkStream the key route for transporting Russian gas to Europe.
“By 2025, TurkStream will be the only pipeline supplying Russian gas to Europe via Türkiye,” Yardim said. The pipeline consists of two lines, each with a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters, running under the Black Sea. One line serves Türkiye, while the other is used to transport gas to Bulgaria via the Strandzha station.
From there, gas travels through the Balkan route, passing through Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary. Both Serbia and Hungary are currently receiving Russian gas through this route. There is also a pipeline connecting Hungary to Slovakia, which could allow Russian gas to flow into Central Europe via Slovakia if the necessary arrangements are made.
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