A major explosion struck a gas pipeline in the Russian city of Langepas, located in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District of western Siberia, on the evening of July 10, according to Ukrainian intelligence sources cited by Militarnyi.
The damaged pipeline reportedly supplied gas to defense industry facilities in the Chelyabinsk, Orenburg, and Sverdlovsk regions—key hubs for Russia’s military-industrial complex.
According to the Militarnyi sources, the pipeline section that was destroyed had an annual capacity of 2.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas.
At the time of the explosion, approximately 4 million cubic meters of gas were present in the affected segment, leading to immediate losses estimated at $1.3 million based on current market prices.
The explosion also triggered a prolonged fire, with satellite data from NASA’s FIRMS project confirming significant thermal anomalies west of Langepas in the city’s industrial zone. The blaze reportedly burned for several hours before emergency services were able to contain it.
Sources estimates that repairs and testing will take up to a month due to the pipeline’s location in a marshy area, complicating access and restoration efforts. During this period, gas supply is expected to fall by 25 million cubic meters, which sources assesses will result in indirect financial losses of approximately $76 million.
Local Russian media and residents reported hearing loud blasts near the industrial area around 11 p.m. Emergency responders and repair teams were seen arriving at the site shortly after.
This incident follows a similar event in March near Vladivostok, where explosions damaged the “Vladivostok” main gas pipeline and an adjacent water supply system. According to Ukrainian intelligence, that pipeline provided gas to military facilities along the Sea of Japan, including units of Russia’s 155th Naval Infantry Brigade.
Some sections of the Vladivostok pipeline had only recently been commissioned earlier this year. The destruction of the nearby water pipeline disrupted water supply to military garrisons in the region.
Earlier, on July 11, Ukraine’s 429th “Achilles” drone battalion released footage showing the destruction of a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system in the Kharkiv region. The $14 million system was targeted in a precision drone strike, along with additional Russian armor, including a tank and APC.
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