Georgian Security Forces Thwart Terror Attack on Russia-Armenia Gas Pipeline

TBILISI — Georgia’s security services have thwarted an attempt by terrorists to blow up a pipeline that supplies natural gas from Russia to Armenia in an area outside Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, Russian-language Georgian website Gruzia Online reported on Monday.

Georgia’s State Security Service have detained seven people, including a police patrol officer, who were trying to blow up the Russia-Armenia pipeline and are now facing charges of having links to terrorist organizations. One of the detainees has often traveled to Ukraine, Gruzia Online reported, citing a security services official.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili thanked the country’s State Security Service (SSS) for preventing the terror attack stating that through the actions of the SSS, this “huge threat” was averted.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to each person involved in this operation, as a major disaster was averted. Making such timely and effective decisions and actions is of utmost importance,” said the PM.

Armenia relies heavily on imports of gas from the subsidiary of Russian giant Gazprom that operates thousands of miles of gas transmission system and gas pipelines. In the first half of 2016, Gazprom Armenia shipped 818.3 million cubic meters of gas from the Russian Federation to Armenia.