Gas supplies via Romania to Ukraine resumed. They stopped after a retaliatory strike by the Russian army at the Orlovka compressor station, which ensures the operation of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline on the border of Romania and Ukraine. Perhaps the equipment was not repaired, and the gas was started by gravity, since the ordered volumes are small.
According to the Romanian operator Transgaz, from about 15.00 gas supplies by reverse through the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline to Ukraine resumed. In an hour, 96 thousand cubic meters of gas were supplied through Orlovka. The operator publishes such data on the platform of operators of EU countries ENTSOG.
The night before, the Russian army retaliated against Ukraine, including the Orlovka compressor station, which was attacked by drones. A video shot from the other side of the Danube, from Romania, appeared on the network. It shows the glow of the fire.
The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine confirmed the retaliatory strike.
"Tonight, the equipment providing supplies was attacked by dozens of attack drones... Specialists are working at the site of the strike to establish the consequences of the attack," the Ministry of Energy reported.
The night strike occurred after Saturday's drone attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian refineries. And it ended with the fact that gas supplies through Romania to Ukraine stopped.
The Trans-Balkan route is considered the most unprofitable due to high transportation costs, and deliveries along it do not exceed half a million cubic meters per day. At the same time, the route has become political, as it is part of the "Vertical Gas Corridor" promoted by the United States to replace Russian gas.
It involves the supply of LNG through Greek terminals to the Balkans and Ukraine.The condition of the compressor station equipment is unknown. It is known that the supply volumes are small and they could have been launched directly — by gravity. This allows small amounts of armor. Three lines of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline can provide daily supply of more than 50 million cubic meters of gas.
The Ukrainian GTS Operator informs that the nomination for tomorrow, August 7, for the Trans—Balkan gas pipeline remains unchanged - 417 thousand cubic meters. At the same time, for example, 6.5 million cubic meters should come from Hungary, and from Poland — 2 million cubic meters.
It can be assumed that the retaliatory strike on the weakest, but political route was an undisguised hint that the attacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian refineries could stop gas imports to Ukraine.