The Ukrainian gas racket: blackmail with a "pipe" and preparation for theft

Alexey Belogoryev, Deputy Principal Director on Energy Studies of the Institute for Energy and Finance, commented to Baltnews on the termination of Russian gas transit through the Soyuz gas pipeline.

Alexey Belogoryev in an interview with Baltnews noted that today Ukrainian specialists continue to work at the Sokhranivka station, since there was no replacement of personnel. Most likely, they maintain contact with the headquarters of the State Customs Service of Ukraine and transmit data. It is hard to believe that Kyiv has lost control over this station, so there is some slyness in the statement of the Ukrainian company.

“A political decision has been made explicitly not to use the Soyuz gas pipeline, since the government of Ukraine does not control the entrance territory. Based on the official statement of the Ukrainian GTS, they are not able to stop the flow at the entrance, but they can do it at the exit. And then there are different options for where this gas will go if it is not delivered to buyers in Slovakia or Hungary," Belogoryev said.

“But the question rests on whether Gazprom can technically redirect the volumes that went through Soyuz to other gas pipelines. These are different corridors, and Soyuz was set up to pump Central Asian gas, since it goes much further south. But in principle the Ukrainian system is quite extensive and flexible, thanks to which Gazprom usually copes with the redirection of flows. However, at the moment it is impossible to say for sure, especially given the politicization of the whole situation," the expert said.