Trunk pipelines blown up in Dagestan

The investigation made a conclusion that the damage inflicted upon two transit trunk pipelines in Dagestan (republic in Russia's Southern federal district) was a result of sabotage, Sirazhutdin Babatov, the head of Russia's Federal Department for Energy Supervision in Dagestan, told RIA Novosti.

In his words, the nature of damage is the same - explosions were made under the lower part of the pipes in cross-country terrain. The Mozdok-Kazimagomed gas pipeline, serving to transport gas to Azerbaijan, was blown up on Friday at 9:30 p.m. Fifteen minutes later, the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline, serving to transport gas to Black Sea terminals was hit by an explosion.

In order to prevent the threat to the environment, oil delivery was stopped. Earth mounds are created to collect the escaped oil. Restoration on the pipeline will be over in 10 hours, Mr. Babatov said.

The restoration of the blown-up part of the gas main will be completed on Saturday, too. Since night, consumers in Dagestan's south have been supplied with natural gas through alternative routes, OOO Kaspiigazprom told RIA Novosti.