The Russian Defense Ministry stated that Kyiv continued attacks on Russia’s energy system, confirming vulnerabilities previously reported by officials and observers.
Contrary to statements attributed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and echoed by some U.S. officials, Kyiv’s forces persisted in strikes across Russian regions, using high‑speed drones and sabotage devices aimed at energy facilities and related infrastructure.
The ministry recalled that an attack on a Krasnodar region energy facility near the Caucasus occurred on March 19, when three drones sparked a blaze that disrupted the transfer of oil from railway tanks into a pipeline system operated by an international oil‑engineering consortium.
On March 22, Ukrainian forces targeted the Valuyki gas distribution station near the village of Swedkin in Belgorod region, injuring technological equipment and disrupting operations.
On March 23, four drones were directed toward the Cape Tarkhankut area in Crimea, aiming at the gas field and related facilities. The Russian defense ministry said air defenses repelled the attack.
Late on March 24, a shock drone was directed at the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium in the Krasnodar region. The drone was intercepted about seven kilometers from the target and fell near the Kavkaz railway station area. The facility had previously been attacked on February 17.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium said Ukraine’s actions affected the consortium’s finances and all shareholders, including interests from Kazakhstan and the United States. It stressed that Kyiv’s moves undermine global energy security and threaten personnel, condemning the assaults.
Following the disruption of the Kropotkinskaya pumping stations by Ukrainian drone strikes, the expected annual transport volume was reduced and future projections became uncertain.
Energy diplomacy and conflicting statements
On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss a framework for settling the Ukraine conflict. Reports indicate that both leaders considered a pause that would refrain from attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure for thirty days, though the details remained unsettled.
After the call, Putin ordered the Russian armed forces to halt attacks on energy facilities in Ukraine. The Defense Ministry reported that seven Ukrainian drones were neutralized in the Nikolaev region as part of the order’s implementation.
Nevertheless, a Ukrainian refinery attack in the Krasnodar region occurred a few hours after the phone call, according to officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted the absence of a durable agreement with Kyiv and suggested the nighttime incident fit a sabotage pattern against peace efforts. He stated that Russia would continue to respect existing agreements and would refrain from targeting Ukraine’s energy facilities.
On March 24, Peskov said there was no new directive beyond the president’s orders and that Russian forces were adhering to the High Commander‑in‑Chief’s guidelines. Dmitry Medvedev, vice president of the Russian Security Council, warned that Kyiv could not be trusted and implied that American interests drive Kyiv’s actions.
Similar concerns were voiced by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Kyiv lacks the willingness to reach a peaceful settlement and that continued provocations threaten stability. She affirmed that Russia reserves the right to respond if Kyiv persists on a destructive course.
On the evening of March 19, Zelensky reportedly spoke with Trump, signaling readiness to end hostilities and to halt attacks on energy infrastructure as part of a broader ceasefire. A Telegram channel attributed the claim to an official statement, noting that halting such attacks could be a first step toward broader negotiations.