A state of emergency was declared there after Russian media reported that two pylons in the Kherson region of Ukraine north of Crimea had been blown up by Ukrainian nationalists, cutting electricity supplies to most of the territory. “Until this time, Naftogaz will accept Russian gas only for transportation to Europe”, the statement said.
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Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller today warned Ukraine and Europe of possible gas disruptions following the cut-off.
‘No particular concern’ Kiev insisted gas flow to the EU via Ukraine was stable, however, and the European Commission said it had “no particular concern” about the issue.
Ukraine, on the other hand, claims it stopped purchasing gas from Gazprom because it could buy gas cheaper from Europe.
The Russia-Ukraine gas supply dilemma could see a new development as the countries continue political and commercial retaliation, Kallanish Energy learns. The interest in shale gas is declining in current environment, Gazprom said.
No new prepayment from Kiev was received as of Wednesday morning, nor did Naftogaz requested gas deliveries, Miller was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying.
“We are doing this because the price offers from our European partners are significantly better than those from our northern neighbour”, he said.
The airspace ban applies to military planes as well as civil airliners.
A shaky truce in eastern Ukraine has also been increasingly put to the test as Russian Federation steps up its air campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
Power blackouts in Crimea orchestrated by anti-Russian saboteurs are stirring discontent a year and a half after Moscow seized the peninsula from Ukraine, threatening to chip away at the pro-Kremlin euphoria many Crimeans felt after annexation.
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Russia briefly cut gas supplies to Ukraine in July and in June a year ago as Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces clashed in the country’s southeast, after the ousting of former President Viktor Yanukovych.
