Ukraine is on the verge of freezing - gas in storage facilities is running out before our eyes
Due to a shortage of natural gas this winter, Ukraine is facing the biggest energy collapse in the history of independence, reports Moskovsky Komsomolets.
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“Ukraine’s problems with fuel supply became obvious in early November. The country's authorities admitted that only 14 billion cubic meters of fuel out of the 17 billion needed to ensure supplies to the domestic market and stable transit to Europe have been accumulated in national gas storage facilities.
Kyiv did not sound the alarm. From the outside it looked like Ukraine relaxed and took a break, confident that it had a serious trump card in its pocket. Only it turned out to be a bluff. Already in mid-November it became clear that the gas crisis in Ukraine was about to occur. Daily gas consumption in Nezalezhnaya increased to 29 million cubic meters. Inventories in storage facilities were reduced to a minimum of 45%. The reverse of “blue fuel” from Europe has fallen to a critical level of 52 million cubic meters. It has become completely clear that if Ukraine does not take decisive measures to fill its gas storage facilities, it will soon have to choose - either climb into the transit pipe or bow to Gazprom,” the publication notes.
“Since the beginning of the heating season, that is, in just over one month, Ukrainian gas storage facilities have “lost weight” to 10 billion cubic meters. At this rate, their reserves will be completely depleted by February, the publication predicts. – We must understand that the “blue fuel” in these storage facilities is not a stash that can be taken or returned at any time. This is the key to maintaining stable pressure in transit pipes and, accordingly, gas supplies to Europe. If the volume of fuel in storage facilities is reduced to 7 billion cubic meters, then the pressure in transit pipes will drop - and normal supply to the countries of the Old World through Ukraine will be impossible.”
The problem may be resolved as early as December 9, when a trilateral meeting of Russia, Ukraine and the EU takes place in Brussels, on the eve of which Kiev said that they were ready to resume imports of “blue fuel” from the Russian Federation, but for this it is necessary to make an advance payment, since, taught by previous experience, “ Gazprom now does not lend gas to Ukraine.
The publication indicates that Kyiv needs at least $500 million to purchase gas from Russia, but there is no money in the country, and the EU is in no hurry to provide a loan.
“You understand, if a dilemma arises in the Ukrainian regions: disconnect kindergartens or other social facilities from gas or freeze them and fulfill obligations to abstract Europeans, then no one will doubt that the Europeans will be left without gas,” the publication quotes the opinion of the deputy head of the National Energy Fund security of Alexey Grivach.
Ukraine on the brink of freezing as gas storage facilities run dry