According to Kyiv, the gas infrastructure cannot function properly due to the fighting in eastern Ukraine.
The volume of Russian gas flowing through Ukraine, a key route for European supplies, appears to be falling on Wednesday as fighting in the east of the country with the Russian army is preventing the gas infrastructure from functioning properly, according to Kyiv.
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Ukrainian gas pipeline operator GTSOU said on Tuesday that the presence of Russian forces near the Sokhranivka and Novopskov plants in the Lugansk region does not allow to ensure the usual flow of gas and requested that these volumes be transferred to another transit point. in Soudja.
Gazprom denies any case of “force majeure”
The Russian gas giant Gazprom had denied any case of “force majeure” in the evening and argued that a diversion of the quantities was impossible. Volumes passing through Sokhranivka have dropped to zero, and volumes passing through Sudja are expected to increase, but not enough to offset the drop, according to figures released by GTSOU on Wednesday morning.
The drop in gas transported through Ukraine via these points could reach 16.2 million m3 or about 18% on Wednesday, with forecast volumes falling to about 72 million m3 of gas from 88 the previous day, according to GTSOU. Gazprom confirmed to Russian agency Tass that volumes would drop to 72 million m3 but said 95.8 million m3 had been delivered the previous day.
Ukraine is an important transit route for Russian gas consumed in Europe. Both Moscow and Kyiv had so far maintained this flow despite the Russian attack on Ukraine launched on February 24. Since the beginning of this offensive, the Europeans have been working to get rid of their energy dependency on Russia in order to be able to sanction Moscow even more severely.