KIEV: Ukraine’s state-owned gas pipe network Ukrtransgaz has announced a 30% reduction in gas imports with some officials caliming the reduction was thanks to increased efficiency.
Ukraine imported three times more gas from Europe than from Russia over the last nine months Ukrtransgaz says. According to energy sector experts, the three countries supplying “reverse” (or west to east) gas flows to Ukraine – Poland, Hungary and Slovakia – have come under pressure from Moscow to halt their sales of gas to Ukraine.
Ukraine and Russia have been locked in a gas war since a Moscow-compliant president was booted from office, with Russia ramping up the price for gas to Ukraine following his ouster.
Ukraine is charged more for Siberian gas than any other European country Kyiv claims. Russia’s gas giant Gazprom and Ukraine’s state counterpart Naftogaz are heading to arbitration court in Sweden over competing multi-billion dollar lawsuits claiming illegal charging practices.
Last month Norway overtook Russia as western Europe’s top gas supplier indicating the European Union’s drive to reduce its dependence on Russian energy is bearing fruit.
