Russia claims attempted attack on TurkStream station was directed by the US

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that 'Washington and Kyiv are working together,' and alleged that the attempted drone (UAV) attack on the compressor station in the Krasnodar region, which supplies natural gas to the TurkStream pipeline, was carried out under the guidance of the US.

Zakharova held her weekly press conference in the capital, Moscow, to address current issues.

Stating that the US was behind the incident, Zakharova used the following expressions:

'There are reasons to believe that the terrorist attack on the compressor station was carried out with the guidance of Washington. Washington and Kyiv are working together, doing everything they can to stop the supply of high-quality Russian gas to Europe at a reasonable price and to clear the market for American gas.'

Responding to a question from an AA reporter asking, 'Has Russia increased security measures for the pipeline following Ukraine's attempted drone attack on the TurkStream compressor station in the Krasnodar region?', Zakharova pointed out that the drones used during the attack were shot down by Russian air defense systems.

Zakharova said, 'This means that the security of this element and other elements related to natural gas infrastructure is being properly ensured. However, this does not eliminate questions for those who provide weapons to the Kyiv administration and incite these actions.'

The spokesperson expressed hope that 'Turkey and other relevant parties capable of influencing the Kyiv administration will take initiatives to prevent such attacks.'

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova

ZAKHAROVA'S STATEMENT ON ARMENIA

Touching upon the situation in the South Caucasus, Zakharova stated that they are in favor of removing obstacles to transport and economic links in the region, as stipulated by the agreements reached between Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia in 2020 and 2021.

Pointing out that a Trilateral Working Group had been established on the subject, Zakharova noted the following:

'Unfortunately, the work of this group has been stalled due to the destructive influence of the West on Armenia's decisions. We are confident that the resumption of the group's work will contribute to the revival of the transport and communication system in the South Caucasus and the socio-economic development of the entire region.'

Spokesperson Zakharova said that the US decision to restrict the export of advanced chips used for artificial intelligence was 'destructive.'

News Source: AA