Explosion Accident at Gas Pipeline Connecting Russia-Europe via Ukraine (Comprehensive)

Explosion During Scheduled Maintenance... All Fires Extinguished

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Je-hoon] On the 20th (local time), Russian local media including RBC reported that an explosion accident occurred in the 'Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline' running from northwestern Siberia in Russia, passing through Ukraine, and leading to Europe.

According to the report, the accident occurred near the village of Kalinino in the Chuvash Republic of Russia. Kalinino village is located about 150 km from Kazan, a major city on the banks of the Volga River. It is reported that 3 people have died and 1 person was injured so far due to this accident, and gas transportation through the pipeline has been suspended since around 1:50 PM.

The Chuvash Republic authorities explained that the cause of the accident was an explosion that occurred during a regular inspection of the underground gas pipeline, and they reported that the fire has now been completely extinguished.

The Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline, where the explosion occurred, is an export gas pipeline constructed in the early 1980s and serves as a major route for transporting gas from northwestern Siberia to Europe. Gazprom of Russia also stated that about 43 million cubic meters of natural gas were expected to be transported through this pipeline within 24 hours on the day of the accident.