Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Wednesday of deliberately targeting civilian energy infrastructure after a strike hit a gas distribution station in the Odesa region. He urged Western allies to impose further sanctions, arguing Moscow’s attacks were aimed at crippling Ukraine’s energy security ahead of winter.

Russia confirms strike

While Zelensky denounced the attack as “demonstrative strikes” designed to weaken Kyiv’s resilience, Russia’s Defence Ministry insisted the facility was military-linked, describing it as part of port infrastructure supplying fuel to Ukrainian forces.

Local officials reported no immediate disruption in gas supplies. Ukraine uses gas for industry, heating homes, and cooking.

Energy war intensifies

The strike follows a wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid. Earlier this month, missiles damaged a gas interconnector with Romania and hit multiple fuel depots. Kyiv also accused Moscow of striking Azerbaijani SOCAR-owned assets in Odesa.

Ukrainian forces have retaliated with drone strikes on Russian energy facilities, including one that briefly halted oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia.

Zelensky’s call for tougher Western sanctions comes amid U.S.-led efforts to revive peace negotiations. Energy security is now a critical front in the war, with both Russia and Ukraine increasingly striking infrastructure to weaken each other’s war economies.