The strike violates the ceasefire deal and negates the possibility of quickly restoring service to the EU, according to Moscow

Ukraine has "destroyed" a key border energy facility in Kursk Region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The Sudzha gas metering station was part of a major pipeline, which for decades had delivered fuel to EU customers.

Here is what happened and the possible consequences of the attack.

Ukraine finishes off Sudzha station

According to the report by the Russian military, Ukrainian forces used US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems to strike the Sudzha gas pipeline facility on Friday, causing a blaze. The defense ministry in Moscow claimed that the metering station is no longer operational.

Last week, Moscow accused Kiev of sabotaging the same site using planted explosives. Ukrainian forces seized the station last August as part of their incursion into Kursk Region, but have been largely pushed out over recent weeks.

The Russian military said the Ukrainians had damaged the station during their retreat, as they could no longer use it for military logistics.

Ceasefire violation

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted a proposal from his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to suspend attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure; Kiev agreed to the mutual moratorium.

The Russian military has since reported multiple violations by Ukraine, which it said demonstrates Kiev's duplicity. Moscow claims it is honoring its obligations under the deal as part of an effort to normalize relations with Washington.

However, commenting on the destruction of the Sudzha station on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow reserves the right to withdraw from the agreement, since "it would be illogical for us to observe it, when every night we face attempted strikes on our energy infrastructure."

End of EU transit

The Sudzha station was part of an energy route connecting gas fields in Western Siberia with Uzhhorod, a city on the Ukrainian border with Hungary, feeding the fuel to gas pipelines in the EU.

Originally built by the USSR with German help in what the press dubbed "the deal of the century," the pipeline provided Europe with access to cheap fuel for decades. Last year, over 15 billion cubic meters of Russian gas was delivered through Ukraine, despite the two nations engaging in an armed conflict. Kiev has received hundreds of millions of dollars in transit fees annually under the scheme.

Kiev, however, refused to renew the contract with Russia that expired at the end of 2024, claiming that it wanted to deny Moscow the opportunity to sell gas to the EU.

The decision caused a crisis in the EU, as Hungary and Slovakia called on Brussels to apply pressure on Ukraine and secure continued supplies. Friday's attack will delay the restoration of gas flows to the continent if a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev is reached.

Kiev's move backfires

The end of transit backfired on Ukrainian forces in Kursk Region this month, as Russian troops infiltrated behind their defensive positions by traveling through the unused pipeline.

'Operation Flow,' as Moscow dubbed it, hastened the collapse of the Ukrainian incursion and led to the liberation of the town of Sudzha, which had previously served as the linchpin of Kiev's attempts to seize Russian territory.

(RT.com)