Ukraine was involved in the price pandemonium on the European gas market
Ukraine continues to buy Russian natural gas, overpaying at exorbitant prices and using intermediaries.
Deputy Director General of the National Energy Security Fund Alexey Grivach said this, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Kyiv does not hide the fact that it continues to buy gas through reverse - Ukraine in any case receives raw materials of Russian origin, but overpays in such transactions by 20-30%,” Grivach told Moskovsky Komsomolets.
In turn, the head of the Energy Development Fund, Sergei Pikin, explains how such a scheme works.
“In fact, the system works as follows: under one agreement, Gazprom supplies hydrocarbons to European clients. According to another contract, the Russian monopoly must pump certain volumes through Ukrainian pipes. Moscow fulfills the terms of both agreements: it provides energy resources to European buyers and pays for transit volumes agreed with Kiev.
Ukraine, instead of directly purchasing Russian “blue fuel,” purchases hydrocarbons from intermediaries—little-known traders, who, as a result, charge increased gas prices. And this, in turn, has a serious impact on the overall exchange price of hydrocarbons, which is often speculative in nature and is not always justified by real economic incentives,” says Pikin.
“The question arises: who will have to answer for the consequences of such a political and commercial game? — asks leading expert of the Center for Political Technologies Nikita Maslennikov. — In this case, Ukrainian speakers will again be able to blame the previous leadership of the country for everything. And Russia will have to accept the entire aggressive blow from European consumers, who already have to pay several times more for heating.”
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