Ukrainian Naftogaz screwed up big time
The March crisis in Russian gas supplies to Ukraine was caused by the inactivity of the Kyiv management of Naftogaz. However, the management of the Ukrainian company now blames Gazprom.
Valentin Zemlyansky, director of energy programs at the Center for World Economy and International Relations of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, announced this at a press conference in Kyiv, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“Gazprom’s guilt in what happened in March is very indirect. At Neftegaz, someone is always to blame - the weather, Gazprom, Putin, the “favorites”, Tymoshenko. Not them. They are white, fluffy, they do everything right, but there are enemies all around. In the public sphere - a paranoid approach.
The problem is that Ukrtransgaz, despite all the notifications from specialists and professionals from there, notified Naftogaz back in the early 20s of February about the possible occurrence of a shortage due to a decrease in temperature and insufficient gas reserves in the gas transportation system.
There should be 1 billion cubic meters in the GTS; as of March 1, the volume of gas in the GTS was 700 million cubic meters, i.e. deficiency – 300 million cubic meters. This is the first.
The second is the position of Naftogaz’s leaders in relation to their counterparties in Russia. The arguments “we were given our word of honor” do not stand up to criticism. If: a) two countries are in a state of conflict, b) two companies are in a state of arbitration proceedings, promises to give gas on parole are nonsense.
Moreover, you had to somehow implement the decisions of Stockholm, obtain a document according to which you will carry out delivery and payment. A week before March, Kobolev said that the issue of gas supplies from Gazprom had not been resolved, which meant that there was no signed additional agreement necessary for supplies.
And Kobolev is now operating with this. Having traveled to Washington and returned, he tells Europe about the need to purchase American liquefied gas: “you see what Gazprom has done! He will do the same to you.” This is pure politics, no economics,” Zemlyansky noted.
Ukrainian Naftogaz has made a major mistake.