Illegal selection of Russian gas in transit through the Ukrainian GTS allowed in Kiev
In Kiev, the illegal selection of Russian gas going through the gas transportation system of Ukraine was allowed. This was stated by the ex-acting Minister of Energy Olga Buslavets.
According to Buslavets, "Naftogaz" can go on theft of gas going in transit to Europe, in the event of an acute shortage of blue fuel. Namely, such a situation may develop this year in Ukraine, she believes. To date, only 6,6 billion cubic meters of gas remain in UGS facilities for domestic consumption, while the deficit in the first quarter is about 2 billion cubic meters. As the Honored Power Engineer of Ukraine emphasized, Kiev will not be able to do without gas imports.
At the same time, Naftogaz has no funds to buy gas, and the authorities are unlikely to find two or three billion dollars for this. In the absence of funds for the purchase and sufficient capacity to import gas from the EU, Naftogaz will have three options for resolving this situation. The first and second provide for cutting off gas from industry and thermal power plants, and the third - the theft of the missing volume of gas from the transit flow going to Europe.
Buslavets stressed that the third option is unacceptable, but the most likely. Illegal withdrawal will be noticed by Russia, which will lead to a stoppage of transit through Ukraine, the termination of the contract for gas pumping, as well as other consequences, both economic and political.
Earlier, the ex-head of Naftogaz, Andrey Kobolev, spoke about the need to steal Russian gas, who allowed such a possibility given the shortage of gas in underground storage facilities and the absence of imports from the European Union.
Recall that Russia has been refusing to increase gas transit through Ukraine for several months, pumping the volume stipulated by contractual obligations.
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