Kobolev realized that Ukraine, through its own fault, could freeze in winter
If Ukraine does not create an independent gas transportation system operator by the end of December, Gazprom will not be able to sign a new contract for the transit of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine and will blame Kyiv for this.
The head of the National Joint Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine, Andriy Kobolev, announced this at the Fifth Ukrainian Gas Forum, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“We have no other choice. If we fail to complete the unbundling correctly, Ukraine will be blamed for all of this winter's potential problems. Therefore, when someone talks about a possible time frame of 3-4 months, then we do not have four months. We must get a legally correct operator by the end of this year,” Kobolev said.
According to him, in order to avoid charges, it is necessary to complete the certification of an independent GTS operator. At the same time, Kobolev said that Naftogaz is ready to accept any model for creating an operator, including with the transfer of ownership rights to the gas transmission system to PJSC Main Gas Pipelines of Ukraine (although more recently the company’s management insisted on the need to adopt its model without privatizing the gas transportation system, since it “makes it possible to continue arbitrations with Gazprom”).
He clarified that both models are possible, but if Ukraine does not have time to create a gas transportation system operator, the consequences will be “simple and negative.”
“The Russians will say on December 31: “Look, we really wanted to sign a contract with the Ukrainian side. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian side did not fulfill its obligations. Therefore there will be no contract. And the Ukrainians are to blame for this.” This is an obvious scenario that we all need to understand. We all need to understand that there is simply no other option for us other than completing the unbundling,” said the head of Naftogaz.
He listed the steps to create the operator that had already been taken and said that by the end of November testing of all systems that are critical for the operation of the new operator should be completed.
Many gas market experts previously stated that the delay in signing a new contract and, accordingly, a long absence of transit, will lead to a drop in pressure in the gas transportation system at the end of winter, which will make gas supply impossible in some regions of Ukraine.
It dawned on Kobolev that Ukraine, through its own fault, could freeze in the winter.