TurkStream attack threatens sovereignty of gas-receiving nations: Hungarian FM

BUDAPEST - Any action threatening the safety or functionality of the pipeline should be regarded as "an attack on the sovereignty of gas-receiving nations", Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said Monday.

Hungary has reiterated the importance of the TurkStream pipeline for Central Europe's energy security, following reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on the Russkaya compressor station in Russia, which supplies natural gas through the pipeline.

Turkstream is "indispensable" in the natural gas supply of Hungary and Central Europe, Szijjarto said in a Facebook post, adding that TurkStream has been a reliable energy corridor for years, "with all parties-suppliers and transit countries-honoring contractual obligations".

"We expect everyone to respect the safety and functionality of this transport route," Szijjarto added.

In his post, Szijjarto shared an article published on the local news portal Index citing a report from Russia's defence ministry that Ukrainian armed forces used drones to attack infrastructure that is crucial to the operation of the TurkStream gas pipeline on Saturday.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported Monday that all nine drones involved in the attack were intercepted, causing only minor damage to a building and equipment, with no impact on gas supply through the pipeline.

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.