Russia’s energy giant Gazprom on Tuesday accused Ukraine of stealing natural gas supplies intended for Moldova by siphoning it off during transit. Gazprom is now threatening to halt deliveries via the key the Sudzha route.
“The volume of gas supplied by Gazprom to the ‘Sudzha’ gas measuring station (GMS) for transit to Moldova via Ukraine exceeds the physical volume transmitted at the border of Ukraine with Moldova,” Gazprom’s statement said.
The allegation further specified that the Ukrainian government stole 52.52 million cubic meters of gas which was intended for Moldova. Gazprom said that amount of gas never left Ukraine’s territory while in transit.
According to the fresh statement as presented in state media:
The Russian energy company further warned that if the transit imbalance persists then it would begin slashing gas supply to the Sudzha GMS for transit via Ukraine from 10 am (7am GMT) on November 28, “in the amount of the daily underderlivery.”
Ukraine has a sprawling network of natgas transmission pipelines from Russia that feed into Europe, which now ironically enough remain the only key supply route to western and central European countries following the Nord Stream sabotage blasts.
Despite the raging war which has been on for nine months, some 42 million cubic metres (mcm) per day still transits through Ukraine via the Sudzha route.
Gas inflow for transit from Russia to Europe in Ukraine from February 1 to November 14, 2022, by entry point(in million cubic meters):
You will find more infographics at Statista
Moldova is very heavily dependent on Russia for its energy supplies, and has been suffering rolling blackouts of late. On Monday donor countries gathered in Paris where they pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to help salvage Moldova’s energy infrastructure, and to prevent political destabilization at such a sensitive time. Moldova has recently applied for EU membership.
Western officials have long accused Russia of seeking to takeover Moldova amid its “special operation” in Ukraine. International media has tended to blame tiny Moldova’s energy woes on Moscow and its ‘weaponizing’ energy.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/22/2022 – 22:40
