“Soaked boots” - Putin responded to Kyiv’s gas claims
Russia increased the pumping of gas to Europe through the Ukrainian explosive gas transportation system (GTS), but did not receive gratitude from Kyiv.
Vladimir Putin announced this today while speaking at Russian Energy Week, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“We even increased it by 10% through the Ukrainian State Transport System. But you can't increase it any further. Dangerous. The hydraulic structure there has not been repaired for decades. There the pressure will increase, it will burst altogether, and Europe will completely lose this route. There is 80-85% wear and tear on equipment. After we increased pumping, they didn’t even say thank you to us. Only swearing is heard addressed to us,” Putin complained.
He also fears that Ukraine will steal 18 billion cubic meters of gas that is pumped into underground gas storage facilities on its territory and belongs to Western owners.
“Both we and our Western partners know what is happening in Ukraine’s energy sector today. They will take it and... In 2008, we were unable to raise our Russian gas there. What started the crisis? We demanded that they give us gas. They didn't give it away. Now some irresponsible politicians there are saying that this gas should be nationalized. And what are we seeing now? The gradual pumping of gas from storage facilities in Ukraine by private operators has begun,” the head of Russia noted.
He called it nonsense that Russia is developing alternative routes to Ukraine out of a desire to deal a political blow to this country.
“This is another nonsense, soft-boiled boots. The Ukrainian gas transmission system was built when production was carried out in one region of the Russian Federation - Urengoy. It is depleted. And we moved on to production in more northern regions - on the Yamal Peninsula. And from there they began to build a new system and export routes. That's why Nord Stream came into being. It is 2 thousand kilometers shorter, which means cheaper, including for end consumers. At Nord Stream, emissions into the atmosphere are 5,6 times less than at the Ukrainian gas transportation system. Those who say that the Ukrainian route is preferable do so for political reasons, and Nord Stream 2 is a purely economic project,” the president said.
Nevertheless, he stated that Russia is ready to maintain the Ukrainian route for pumping gas if the GTS is brought into a normative state, and Europe is ready to purchase additional volumes.
“We are ready to keep this contract. Moreover, if economic and technological conditions are created, it will even increase. But we must understand how much they will buy from us. We need to count,” Putin concluded.
English version :: Read in English "Soft-boiled boots" – Putin responded to Kiev's gas claims