Central Asia Gas Pipeline Supplying Russian Military Shuts Down After Blasts

The Central Asia-Center gas pipeline in Russia has been shut down indefinitely following explosions in the Volgograd region, a source within Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) told Kyiv Post.

The pipeline, operated by Gazprom, transports natural gas from Turkmenistan through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan into Russia. It reportedly supplies energy to key facilities in Russia’s military-industrial complex, including the Demikhov Machine-Building Plant, the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (Production Complex No. 1), the Magnum-K ammunition plant, and others.

Following reports of explosions, Russian emergency services and law enforcement rushed to the scene, the source said. Locals say teams have been deployed near the village of Dinamivskoye, Nekhayevsky District, to respond to the incident and begin repairs.

Gas transport through the pipeline in the Volgograd region has been suspended indefinitely as specialists assess the damage, the source added.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Forces confirmed successful strikes on key Russian oil and defense infrastructure early Saturday, saying the attacks were in response to recent Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities that killed civilians.

According to an AFP analysis published Friday, Russia launched 6,297 long-range drones in July - the highest monthly total since the start of the invasion in 2022 and a 16% rise from June. It also launched 198 missiles, the second-highest total this year.

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Thursday’s missile and drone strike on Kyiv killed at least 31 people, including five children, most of them in a nine-story apartment building hit by a missile.

“The Ukrainian Defense Forces have successfully struck verified Russian targets involved in supporting armed aggression against our state,” the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff said in a Telegram post.

Confirmed targets included:

• Ryazan and Novokuibyshevsk oil refineries

• Anna Neftoprodukt fuel base in Voronezh

• The Electropribor defense plant in Penza, which produces secure communications gear and circuit boards for the military

“Numerous explosions and fires were recorded,” the AFU said, adding that details were still being verified.

The strikes were carried out by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, SSO, SBU, and the HUR.

Earlier, Kyiv Post reported that drones targeted multiple Russian regions and occupied Crimea, with explosions reported in Lipetsk, Ryazan, Taganrog, Penza, Voronezh, Samara, and Crimea.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed 112 Ukrainian drones were intercepted between 8 p.m. Aug. 1 and 4:40 a.m. Aug. 2.