The volume of Russian gas transiting through Ukraine, an important route for European supplies, appeared to be declining on Wednesday as fighting in the east of the country with the Russian military prevents smooth operation of the gas infrastructuresaccording to Kyiv.
The Ukrainian gas pipeline operator, GTSOUsaid on Tuesday that the presence of Russian forces near the Sokhranivka and Novopskov facilities in the Lugansk region was impeding the usual flow of gas and called for the transfer of these volumes to another crossing point, in Sudja.
The Russian gas giant Gazprom, however, denied any case of “force majeure” and argued that it is impossible to divert the volumes.
According to figures released by GTSOU on Wednesday, volumes through Sokhranivka have fallen to zero and those through Sudja are expected to rise, but not enough to offset the drop.
The fall of gas in transit through Ukraine through these points could be 16.2 million m3 on Wednesday, i.e. about 18%with which the expected volumes would fall to about 72 million m3 of gascompared to 88 m3 the day before, GTSOU said.
Gazprom confirmed to the Russian agency Tass that volumes would drop to 72 million m3 but explained that 95.8 million m3 had been delivered the day before.
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 offensive in Ukraine launched on February 24.