Russia and Ukraine intend to continue transporting gas through pipelines to Europe, even as fighting continues near a key cross-border transit point for the fuel.
Both countries have no intention of stopping flows through the Suja gas gathering station in Russia’s Kursk region, said the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
Ukraine’s biggest incursion into Russian territory since the Kremlin launched the invasion in 2022 has pushed European gas prices to their highest level this year on fears that supplies will be cut. Yet both countries have a financial incentive to keep the fuel flowing. For Kiev, gas transit provides crucial funds for its war-torn economy — worth about $1 billion in 2021 — while Europe remains one of Russia’s biggest customers for pipeline gas.
Ukraine wants to be seen as a reliable partner of Europe in the hope that traders from the region will make more use of its vast gas reserves. And there is good reason to protect the infrastructure, as unused pipelines can become targets of military attacks or need expensive repairs if they are not used.
Still, any accidental failure of key infrastructure at the gas station could halt supplies. The crossing point has been under the control of Ukrainian troops since the invasion, according to Bloomberg sources.
Russian supplier Gazprom did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine declined to comment.
“We intend to continue providing gas transportation services under the agreement,” Ukraine’s Naftogaz said in a statement, referring to a gas transit deal that expires in December.
While most of Europe is looking for alternatives to Russian pipeline gas after the invasion of Ukraine, countries such as Austria, Slovakia and Moldova continue to import supplies from Gazprom through Ukraine.
Gazprom continues to send gas to the Suja point, with daily flows stable in the range of 37 million cubic meters to almost 40 million cubic meters.
dnes.bg
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