ALBAWABA- Ukraine has carried out a new wave of drone strikes targeting Russian natural gas pipelines that supply Turkey and parts of southern Europe, according to Ukrainian military sources.
At least 26 unmanned aerial vehicles were deployed in the coordinated operation, which hit sections of the TurkStream pipeline. The pipeline connects Russia’s Krasnodar region to Turkey’s European coast, with potential links to broader European supply routes.
Preliminary reports suggest damage to compressor stations and sections of the pipeline, though Russia’s state energy company Gazprom has not confirmed the full extent of the disruption or repair timelines.
🔴 Rusya’dan Türkiye’ye doğalgaz taşıyan boru hatları, Ukrayna tarafından en az 26 İHA ile yeniden hedef alındı.
-Gazprom pic.twitter.com/Ui0xiehCzS— Conflict (@ConflictTR) March 19, 2026
The strike reflects Kyiv’s continued strategy of targeting Russian energy infrastructure, a key source of funding for Moscow’s war effort. Previous attacks on TurkStream, along with the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline, have already reduced Russian gas exports to Europe and forced Moscow to diversify its energy markets.
The latest escalation comes amid the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, now in its fourth year, as well as rising global energy tensions. In the Middle East, Iranian retaliatory drone and missile attacks on oil and gas facilities across the Gulf have disrupted supply routes and heightened instability in the Strait of Hormuz.
The combined disruptions have driven oil prices higher, with Brent crude climbing above $110 per barrel. Sustained damage to Russian gas infrastructure could further tighten supply, increase energy costs in Europe, and intensify economic pressure on import-dependent markets worldwide.
