Russia/Ukraine/EU

Gazprom stops gas pumping through Ukraine, EU refuses to get involved

Article published on the 2009-01-05 Latest update 2009-01-05 17:13 TU

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller
(Photo: Reuters)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered Gazprom to cut gas pumping through Ukraine – again – Monday. Alexei Miller, Gazprom’s chairman, has accused Ukraine of siphoning gas from transit pipelines to Eastern Europe, after Russia initially cut supplies on 1 January. Miller told Putin that Ukraine has “stolen” 65.2 million cubic metres of gas that were supposed to have gone on through to the European Union.

Ukraine’s Naftogaz accused Gazprom’s unit in neighbouring Moldova of siphoning off gas.

“From 1 January, consumers in Moldova, for some unexplained reasons… started to consume practically the full volume of natural gas which passes partly through the territory of Moldova,” Naftogaz said in a statement.

The company said that supplies to Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and Macedonia had dropped by 10 million cubic metres per day.

Since Russia cut supplies on 1 January, some eastern EU countries have reported drops in gas deliveries. Romania’s Transgaz said Russian gas deliveries are down 30 per cent. Hungary reported a drop of 20 per cent.

All countries have reserves or alternate plans to procure gas, so there will be no effect on customers.

Both Kiev and Moscow have asked the EU to intervene, but the 27-member body has refused to take an active role in what it says is a bilateral issue.

A European official told RFI that the EU will not act in a situation where “everyone is lying”.

Miller said the company would file a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration in Stockholm, Sweden.

Gazprom says Naftogaz owes it over 600 million dollars, and warns that it will ask for compensation for the missing gas.