A Russian drone strike targeted a key gas compressor station in Ukraine's Odesa region near the Romanian border overnight, officials said Wednesday, in an attack President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a "deliberate and cynical" blow to the nation's energy security ahead of winter.
The attack occurred at a facility in the village of Novosilske in the Izmail district, completely destroying production equipment. The resulting blaze was so large it was visible from across the border in Romania, where authorities issued an alert for residents in the northern Tulcea county about the possibility of falling objects.
The targeted compressor station is a crucial part of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, a route that connects Ukrainian gas storage facilities with LNG terminals in Greece and facilitates imports from sources including the U.S. and Azerbaijan. The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy stated the attack was aimed at undermining Europe's energy independence from Russia.
The strike cut off gas supplies to approximately 2,500 local customers, and emergency crews were working to manage the aftermath, the regional governor reported. No casualties were reported. Russia's Ministry of Defense confirmed the attack on Ukraine's gas transport system.