Putin warns of possible attack on gas pipelines to Türkiye

MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia had received intelligence indicating a possible attempt to sabotage the TurkStream and Blue Stream natural gas pipelines running under the Black Sea to Türkiye, in remarks made at a meeting of the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Moscow on Feb. 24.

Putin said the information pointed to a possible attack on Russia’s underwater gas infrastructure, and linked the alleged threat to efforts to derail negotiations over the war in Ukraine, according to Russian and Turkish media reports.

He also said Russia’s energy and transport infrastructure should receive stronger protection, as Moscow continues to accuse Ukraine of attacks on strategic facilities during the war.

Putin, speaking on the fourth anniversary of the conflict, ordered the FSB to step up security measures for critical infrastructure.

Putin's warning concerned a possible explosion targeting the two pipelines on the Black Sea seabed.

Both TurkStream and Blue Stream were built to transport Russian natural gas to Türkiye.