Russia's Strike Targeted Kyiv's Relations with Azerbaijan and the US

The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy has announced that the Russian strike on a gas transportation infrastructure facility in the Odesa region was aimed at undermining Kyiv's relations with Azerbaijan and the United States. According to Ukrainian media reports, the ministry stated that on the night of August 6, Russia attacked a compressor station through which gas had already been supplied from the US, as well as trial volumes of Azerbaijani gas.

The Odesa regional administration also reported that the Russian shelling damaged the gas infrastructure and caused a fire. The damage to the main gas pipeline has temporarily halted supply to 2,500 subscribers. The ministry described the attack as a "targeted strike against energy and, at the same time, against relations with Azerbaijan, the US, and European partners." Earlier, the head of Ukraine's Naftogaz announced the first purchase of Azerbaijani natural gas. The contract with Azerbaijan's state-owned SOCAR was signed against the backdrop of the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine.

The strike at the gas station in August occurred amid the ongoing deterioration of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.