Russia's Gazprom raises gas pressure to contract level at the entrance of Ukraine’s gas transportation system
Russian Gazprom has raised the pressure at the entrance of Ukraine’s gas transportation system (GTS) to the contractual level for the first time this year. This was reported by Interfax Ukraine referring to the press-service of PJSC Ukrtransgaz.
"Maybe today is some big holiday? Today, Gazprom has raised pressure in the transit gas pipelines at the entrance of the GTS of Ukraine to the minimum contract level: 60 kgf/cm2 for the first time since December 12, 2017,” the press-service noted.
As reported earlier, on February 28, the Stockholm Arbitration Court partially satisfied Naftogaz’s claims on the dispute with Gazprom and decided that the Russian holding should compensate the Ukrainian company $4.63 billion for the non-delivery of gas under their transit contract because the Court found that the Russian company delivered less gas for transit to Europe than it was contractually obligated to provide. However, considering the debt of Naftogaz for gas already delivered, Gazprom will have to pay $2.56 billion.
On March 1st, Gazprom refused to renew gas supplies to Ukraine and it reduced pressure at the entrance of the Ukraine’s GTS. Commenting on that decision, Pavlo Klimkin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that in this way Gazprom brought itself down to the level of “thimble-riggers.”
On March 6th, several European deputies stated that Gazprom’s recent actions should encourage the European Union to reduce its dependency on Russian gas and oil.