Photo: Penzenskaya Pravda Information Center / Transneft Druzhba
On Sept. 8, Russian media reported (1, 2) on “exercises at oil and gas facilities” in the city of Penza. The next day, Ukrainian media outlets, citing sources in the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, reported (1, 2, 3) that several explosions had occurred at the same sites prior to the publication of the Russian articles.
Both the oil and gas pipelines are said to have supplied Russian military facilities with fuel.
Following the explosions, which occurred at around 4 a.m. on Sept. 8, local pro-government outlet Argumenty i Fakty. Penza wrote that:
“The activities are being carried out by Transneft Druzhba JSC jointly with emergency and special services. According to the scenario, they need to eliminate the consequences of man-made accidents at oil and gas infrastructure facilities.” No reports of such exercises were published on the social media accounts of Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations, or of oil company Transneft.
