The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed on Monday that Ukrainian drones attacked the Russkaya compressor station that supplies gas through the TurkStream pipeline -- a natural gas pipeline running from Russia to Türkiye.
The Russian air defense shot down all nine drones, the ministry said in a statement, adding that the attack caused no causalities among maintenance personnel and only minor damage to a building and equipment.
The compressor station supplies gas via the TurkStream pipeline normally with no detected failure, the ministry said.
Ukraine has not yet responded to Russia's accusation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that attacking facilities related to the TurkStream is a highly risky action for European natural gas users.
He also noted that the United States is the one that will benefit from Russia's reduction in natural gas exports to the international market.
On Monday, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto reiterated the importance of the TurkStream pipeline for Central Europe's energy security.
Any action threatening the safety or functionality of the pipeline should be regarded as "an attack on the sovereignty of gas-receiving nations", he said.
The TurkStream pipeline starts from Russkaya compressor station near Anapa in Russia's Krasnodar region.
The TurkStream corridor is vital for Hungary and other Central European nations, particularly since the start of the year, as it has effectively replaced the traditional Ukrainian route for Russian gas supplies. This shift has made TurkStream a key pillar of the region's energy security strategy.
"Most of the Russian natural gas exported to Hungary flows through the TurkStream via Serbia. So we can see that due to the recent development, a significant portion of Europe's natural gas supply will probably depend on the TurkStream in the future," said Attila Holoda, managing director of Aurora Energy in Hungary.
Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking TurkStream pipeline
Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking TurkStream pipeline
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
