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Russia may tighten security at energy facilities in border regions — energy minister

Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov redirected a question about additional measures for the Defense Ministry

ALMATY, February 3. /TASS/. Russia may take additional measures to tighten the security of fuel and energy facilities in border regions in order to minimize the effects of shelling from Ukraine, Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov told the media on Friday.

"As for stepping up protection at energy facilities, you may read President Vladimir Putin’s statement following a meeting where he said that it was necessary to eliminate the very possibility of shelling of our border territories. Maybe additional measures will be taken, but this is more a question for the Defense Ministry," he said, when asked whether additional measures would be taken to strengthen the security of border facilities of the fuel and energy complex after the attempted shelling of the Novozybkov oil pumping station in the Bryansk Region on the evening of January 31.

Earlier, Putin issued an order to eliminate the risk of bombardments of Russia’s border regions from the Ukrainian side. Also, at a meeting with members of the government and governors on Wednesday, he pointed to the need for compensating for the damage suffered by those affected by the shelling.

On the evening of January 31, the Ukrainian army shelled the Novozybkov oil pumping station in the Bryansk region, which is part of the Druzhba oil pipeline system. One shell hit the pumping station’s territory. Nobody was hurt. Repairs are in progress. The oil pipeline is operating normally, Transneft spokesman Igor Dyomin has told TASS.

He explained that the pumping facility is used when the Druzhba pipeline experiences peak loads and was last turned on for a few hours last year.