Russia claimed it had damaged ground facilities at one of Ukraine's largest natural gas storage sites in Lviv Oblast during a series of missile and drone attacks on Jan. 15.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the attacks were retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian strike on a gas compressor station in Russia's Krasnodar region on Jan. 11, a key point for the TurkStream pipeline, the last conduit for Russian gas to Europe.
Russian attacks also occurred a day after Ukraine launched a series of strikes on Russian military and industrial facilities, including ammunition depots and refineries. Moscow has consistently targeted Ukraine's residential areas and energy infrastructure throughout the full-scale war, regardless of Ukraine's actions.
Lviv Oblast officials confirmed damage to critical infrastructure in two districts but reported no casualties. The acting CEO of Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz energy company, Roman Chumak, also confirmed that gas infrastructure was targeted but said that gas supplies were uninterrupted and repairs would be conducted swiftly.
The strikes, which included Kh-101, Kh-22, and Kalibr cruise missiles, were part of a broader assault on Ukraine's energy sector.
President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the timing and intent of the strikes, writing, "It's the middle of winter, and Russia's goal remains the same: our energy sector."
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha previously praised Kyiv's decision to halt Russian gas transit as a critical measure to weaken the Kremlin's leverage over Europe. Ukraine ceased the transit through its territory on Jan. 1, aiming to avoid financing Moscow's war effort.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
