Ukraine military cites reports in media on attack on gas station in Russia's Kursk Region

Ukraine's Military, citing media, reported an early Friday strike on a recently-closed gas pumping station and measuring station in west Russia's Kursk Region, where Ukrainian Forces have been under pressure for seven months following a border incursion.

A Ukrainian military Telegram posted a picture with a caption of a fireball soaring into the sky: "Media report a successful attack on the Sudzha Gas Transport System through which the enemy used gas to transport to Europe."

The incident was not reported by the government in Kyiv. The incident was not reported by the authorities in Moscow either.

Sudzha station was the only place through which Russian gas passed to reach Europe via Ukraine until Ukraine refused to extend a transit agreement this January. In 2022, a second crossing point will be closed.

The Ukrainian media reported the strike as well and broadcast video footage. Telegram channels from the Kursk region also posted the footage.

Unofficial Russian military blogs stated that they believed Ukrainian forces staged the attack. The Baza Telegram channel (close to Russian security services) said that the pipeline was damaged.

The Russian foreign ministry stated on Thursday that Ukraine has already violated the proposed ceasefire in the war of three years by attacking a Krasnodar oil depot.

Sudzha is one of the towns that Ukrainian forces captured in their massive cross-border assault last August.

Last week, the Russian military announced that it had retaken Sudzha.

Bloggers in Russia reported that Moscow forces had snuck through the pipeline for several kilometers (miles), as part of an operation to retake this area. (Reporting and editing by Raju Gopikrishnan; Reporting by Ron Popeski)

(source: Reuters)