Ukrainian attack on gas facility an act of terrorism – Moscow

A criminal probe has been launched by Russia’s Investigative Committee into the destruction of an energy facility on the border with Ukraine.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has classified the attack on the Sudzha gas metering station on the border with Ukraine as an act of terrorism and launched a criminal probe, according to a statement. The incident in Kursk Region took place early on Friday.

The facility had been previously used to deliver natural gas from Russia via Ukraine to consumers in European nations.

”On Thursday, Ukrainian military personnel, who had illegally invaded Russian territory, carried out a targeted bombing of the station. As a result, the facility suffered significant damage,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement on Telegram on Friday. The authorities have vowed to identify and bring to justice those involved in the crime.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, and agreed to a US-mediated partial ceasefire. Under its terms, Moscow pledged to refrain from attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure in exchange for a similar moratorium by Kiev. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky also agreed to the plan.

The next day, the Defense Ministry reported a Ukrainian strike on an oil depot in Krasnodar Region and labeled it a provocation meant to disrupt Trump’s peace initiative.

The latest attack on Sudzha is evidence that Kiev cannot be trusted, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. He added that Putin’s order not to attack Ukrainian energy sites remained in force, per his agreement with Trump.

Ukrainian forces seized the site last August during their incursion into Kursk Region and used it as a secure logistics base, Russia’s Defense Ministry said earlier. The station, located close to the border, was deliberately blown up during the Ukrainian retreat, it explained.

Kiev launched an assault into Kursk Region hoping to seize Russian territory and use it as leverage in negotiations. Russian forces have since largely ousted Ukrainian troops, with Sudzha, previously a linchpin of Kiev’s operations, being liberated earlier this month.