Gazprom has increased gas supplies to the Donbas by 41%
In 2016, Russian gas monopoly Gazprom supplied 2.39 billion cubic meters of natural gas to the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that are beyond Ukraine’s control. That is 40.6% or 69 million cubic meters more than in 2015, as indicated in Gazprom’s quarterly reports, LIGA.net reported. According to the document, gas supplies to Ukraine in 2016 amounted to 2.39 billion cubic meters.
“At the same time, Naftogaz of Ukraine ceased the purchasing of gas from the Russian company in November 2015. Therefore, gas was supplied to the territories that are beyond the control of the Ukrainian Government. At current prices (more than $200 per thousand cubic meters), the cost of supplied gas is approximately USD 500 million. At Gazprom’s average export price ($200 per thousand cubic meters) the cost of gas is approximately USD 370 million,” the report says.
Gazprom’s reports for 2015 and Naftogaz of Ukraine’s data show that the Russian gas monopoly supplied 1.7 billion cubic meters of gas at price of $186 per thousand cubic meters to the territory of the Donbas, which is beyond the control of Ukrainian Government. Gazprom has estimated the annual volume of gas supplies to Ukraine in 2015 to be 7.827 billion cubic meters. According to Naftogaz, it purchased 6.12 billion cubic meters.
“The Russian gas monopoly has supplied 4.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas to the separatist areas of Donetsk and Luhansk over the last two years,” as pointed out in the report. Gazprom began to supply gas to the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk Republics as of the 19th of February 2015.
Gas is transported through the Prokhorovka and Platovo gas measuring stations. Naftogaz of Ukraine repeatedly stated that gas supplies provided through these areas runs counter to the agreement and the company isn’t going to pay for them.