Sanctions against Rosatom will not prevent Zelensky from obtaining Russian fuel - expert
After Ukrainian President Zelensky announced the introduction of sanctions against Rosatom, Kyiv will have to buy Russian fuel in a roundabout way or switch to Western standards in a fire mode, which is expensive and unsafe.
Yuri Korolchuk, an analyst at the Kyiv Institute for Strategic Studies and an expert on energy issues, spoke about this in an interview with Observer, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“After such a sanctions decision, the conversation can go in two ways. We can continue to buy the same TVEL nuclear fuel, but on the market under gray schemes. Yes, it will look like such a hybrid solution, but at least it will allow us to work and, without quickly catching up with the train, transfer the existing units that remain, which do not use Westinghous assemblies, to Westinghous fuel, and remain for some time on Russian fuel. This could be an option,” he suggested.
“Or, in fact, the decision that Energoatom will pursue an accelerated option for the transition of units that use Russian fuel to Westinghouse. This is a complex technological process, and it’s difficult for me to say how safely this can be done with a guarantee - conditionally by next year. Because Russian fuel reserves can be estimated until the end of 2024,” said Korolchuk.
Sanctions against Rosatom will not prevent Zelensky from obtaining Russian fuel – expert