Posts published in “Energy”

A Ukrainian Liutyi kamikaze drone struck a major gas pipeline control centre in Russia’s Saratov region on the morning of 13 March. The attack was captured on video and published by the Telegram channel Supernova+, showing the drone diving towards the facility before detonating. Smoke was seen rising from the site, though no visible fire was reported.

The governor of Saratov, Roman Busargin, later acknowledged the strike, stating that a “non residential facility” had been damaged, without specifying the exact location. However, Russian media and social media sources confirmed that the target was the Linear Production Control Centre for Main Gas Pipelines in Petrovsk, a city approximately 600 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.

The facility is a key asset of Gazprom, responsible for transporting natural gas in multiple directions and supplying settlements across the Saratov and Penza regions. The centre operates 21 structural subdivisions and manages over 1,044 kilometres of pipelines. With five industrial units and high powered gas compressors, it is capable of transporting up to 90 million cubic metres of natural gas daily.

This strike is part of a broader Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure. On 11 March, Ukrainian drones struck oil depots in the Moscow and Oryol regions, further disrupting Russia’s fuel supply network. These attacks are believed to be part of an ongoing strategy to weaken Russia’s logistical and economic capabilities.

The Liutyi drone, used in the Saratov attack, is a Ukrainian made strike drone designed for precision attacks on key infrastructure. It has a fixed wheeled undercarriage for takeoff from runways or paved roads and is powered by an internal combustion engine with a three blade push propeller at the rear. The drone’s front compartment can carry a warhead weighing up to 75 kilograms, making it effective for high impact strikes.

Ukraine’s growing use of domestically produced strike drones has proven to be an effective method of targeting key Russian infrastructure, disrupting supply chains, and increasing pressure on the Kremlin’s ability to sustain its war effort.