Drones Hit Russia's Gas Hinterland in Northern Siberia for the First Time

By Reuters Sep. 9, 2026 The Zapolyarnoye gas field. Government.ru / CC BY 4.0 An industrial facility caught fire in Novy Urengoy, a gas-producing city in northern Russia, following a drone attack, regional Governor Dmitry Artyukhov said on Wednesday, in the first such attack on the country's natural gas hinterland. Artyukhov did not identify the facility involved. "Most importantly, there were no fatalities or injuries. The extent and nature of the damage are being determined," he said on the Telegram messaging app. State-run energy company Gazprom did not reply to a request for comment about the attack on the region, some 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Novy Urengoy is Russia's unofficial gas capital, located in the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district in northwestern Siberia. Gazprom used to export gas from Yamal as far as western Europe until the ties broke down following the start of Russia's war in Ukraine in 2022. It estimated the region's gas resources at 26.5 trillion cubic meters as of 2020, enough to cover global demand for more than six years. Read more about: Ukraine war , Nenets Autonomous District , Drones , Gas Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Gazprom to Form Military Reserve Units to Guard Energy Infrastructure From Drone Attacks Rather than relying solely on regular military forces, authorities have increasingly turned to regional volunteer units and reserve formations to bolster... 2 Min read Ukraine Renewing Drone Strikes on TurkStream Facilities, Gazprom Says The company said three Ukrainian drones targeted a compressor station in the southern Krasnodar region overnight. 1 Min read Kremlin Slams ‘Irresponsible’ Ukrainian Drone Attacks on TurkStream and Blue Stream Compressor Stations Gazprom said the Russian military intercepted 26 Ukrainian drones targeting its energy sites in the Krasnodar region this week. 2 Min read Russia Accuses Ukraine of ‘Energy Terrorism’ Over Alleged Pipeline Strike Authorities said that a compressor station targeted in the attack continued to operate “normally,” with no disruptions to gas supplies. 3 Min read