- Fighting in Russian territory Kursk - gas transit is normal
Russian Gas Exports via the Kursk Border Region, Attacked by Ukraine, Continue Normally
According to Gazprom, Russian gas exports through the Kursk border region, targeted by Ukraine, are proceeding largely normally. Today, around 37.3 million cubic meters of natural gas is expected to be transported, the company announced in Moscow. This is five percent less than the previous day, Russia's state news agency TASS reported. Ukrainian troops have reportedly taken at least partial control of the city of Sudzha, also capturing a crucial gas pipeline station en route to Western Europe.
From there, the pipeline passes through Ukraine, then onto Slovakia and Austria. In 2023, despite the ongoing war, 14.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas were transported to the European Union via this route.
Fight for the Eastern Part of the Town of Sudzha
Officially, Ukraine is maintaining silence about the offensive that began on Tuesday. The morning report from the General Staff did not mention the offensive. Experts from the U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW) confirmed, based on information from social media, that Ukrainian troops had advanced at least 10 kilometers into Russian territory. The Russian military blog Rybar reported on Wednesday evening that the western part of the town was under Ukrainian control, with fighting ongoing in the eastern part. The main challenge for the Russian side is that Ukraine can still bring in more troops.
The state of emergency has been declared in the Kursk region, with thousands of people fleeing. On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin called the Ukrainian attack a provocation. The acting vice-governor of Kursk, Andrei Belostotsky, said on Russian television: "The enemy has not advanced a single meter, on the contrary, they are retreating." These claims were not independently verifiable.
Ukraine's Element of Surprise
The goal of Ukraine's offensive remains unclear, as it needs its troops to stabilize the crumbling front in the Donetsk region. However, the attack gives Ukraine an element of surprise and forces Russia to redeploy its forces.
In the night, Russia's Defense Ministry reported shooting down 16 enemy drones over the Kursk and Belgorod border regions. These claims were also not independently verifiable. Ukraine has been defending itself against a large-scale Russian invasion for almost two and a half years.
Despite the ongoing conflict, natural gas continues to be transported from Russia to the European Union through the pipeline that passes from the Kursk border region, transiting via Ukraine, Slovakia, and Austria. In 2023, an impressive 14.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas were delivered to the EU via this route.
Even though the Slovak Republic is located further downstream in the pipeline's route, it plays a significant role in ensuring the steady supply of Russian gas to European markets.
