By The Moscow Times | Created at 2025-03-21 09:25:23 | Updated at 2025-03-27 23:09:17
6 days ago
Ukraine’s military on Friday accused Russia of shelling its own gas pumping station in the southwestern Kursk region overnight, days after the two warring sides agreed to pause attacks on energy infrastructure.
Both the Ukrainian armed forces and Russian pro-war bloggers reported a strike on the nonfunctioning Sudzha gas pumping and metering station, with images showing a huge fire lighting up the night sky.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces dismissed Russian military bloggers’ claims that it was responsible for the attack, calling it part of a “campaign to discredit Ukraine.”
“Today, the enemy has ramped up its planned destructive information influence with another provocation — it fired artillery at this facility [in Sudzha],” the General Staff said in a statement.
“The [Sudzha] station was repeatedly shelled by the Russians themselves,” it added, citing similar incidents dating back to summer 2024.
It was not immediately possible to verify the claims.
Russia continued transporting natural gas to Europe through the Sudzha hub until Ukraine declined to extend a transit deal at the start of 2025.
The town of Sudzha, home to around 5,000 people, was the largest Russian settlement to be seized by Ukrainian forces during a surprise cross-border incursion last August. Russia said it had regained full control of Sudzha last week.
The reported strike on the Sudzha gas station came after Russia and Ukraine agreed to a 30-day pause in attacks on energy infrastructure. Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused Kyiv of violating the ceasefire with an attack on an oil depot in the southern Krasnodar region.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has not yet commented on the Sudzha attack as of Friday morning.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
