TurkStream
Russian gas pipeline under the Black Sea to Turkey, serving Hungary and Serbia.
Last refreshed: 6 April 2026
Who tried to blow up TurkStream, and why does Hungary depend on it so heavily?
Latest on TurkStream
- What is TurkStream?
- TurkStream is a Russian natural gas pipeline running 930 km under the Black Sea from Russia to Turkey, then overland through Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary. Built by Gazprom and opened in January 2020, it carries up to 31.5 billion cubic metres per year.Source: entity_background
- Who tried to sabotage TurkStream in April 2026?
- Explosives were found in two backpacks near the TurkStream pipeline at the Serbia-Hungary border on 5 April 2026. Serbia classified the incident as attempted sabotage by a foreigner but did not name a suspect. Ukraine denied involvement.Source: russia-ukraine-war-2026 update 11
- Why does Hungary depend on TurkStream gas?
- Hungary has refused to diversify away from Russian gas and relies on TurkStream for the majority of its supply. Prime Minister Orban has actively resisted EU pressure to cut Russian energy imports, and the pipeline's protection was treated as a national security emergency after the April 2026 incident.Source: russia-ukraine-war-2026 update 11
- What is the difference between TurkStream and Nord Stream?
- Nord Stream ran under the Baltic Sea to Germany and was destroyed in a sabotage attack in September 2022, cutting off Russian gas to Northwestern Europe. TurkStream runs under the Black Sea to Turkey and remains operational, now one of Russia's only remaining gas routes to Europe.Source: entity_background
- Does the EU ban on Russian gas affect TurkStream?
- The EU's phased gas embargo beginning April 2026 is designed to eliminate Russian gas imports, which would eventually make TurkStream commercially moot for EU members. However, Hungary has blocked EU-wide enforcement, and non-EU Serbia is not bound by the embargo.Source: russia-ukraine-war-2026 update 11
Background
TurkStream is a natural gas pipeline built by Russia's Gazprom, opened in January 2020, running 930 km under the Black Sea from Anapa on the Russian coast to Kiyikoy on the Turkish coast. From there it splits into two lines: one supplying Turkey domestically, the other running overland through Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary to distribute Russian gas to Central and Southern Europe. It was conceived as a bypass after the termination of South Stream and carries up to 31.5 billion cubic metres per year.
On 5 April 2026, explosives were found in two backpacks hundreds of metres from the TurkStream pipeline near the Serbia-Hungary border. Serbia classified the incident as attempted sabotage by "a foreigner." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban convened an emergency Defence Council within hours and deployed military units to protect the pipeline. Ukraine denied involvement.
TurkStream is now one of only two remaining routes for Russian gas to reach European buyers, the other being Druzhba pipeline transit through Ukraine. With the EU's phased gas embargo from April 2026, Hungary and Serbia's continued reliance on TurkStream puts them at odds with Brussels and illustrates how pipeline geography shapes political alignment in the war.
