Back in 2015, the Ukrainian authorities announced their refusal to buy gas from Gazprom. However, in reality, the reverse of gas from Europe was virtual, gas was consumed from a transit pipe. Now, they assure in Kiev, we are talking about a physical reverse
The building of the JSC “Ukrtransgaz” in Kiev
The Ukrainian gas transportation system got the opportunity to receive gas from Hungary through physical, rather than virtual, reverse. This was stated in his Facebook by the head of the company “GTS Operator of Ukraine” Sergey Makogon.
“Today, for the first time in history, the physical import of gas from Hungary to Ukraine began. Previously, the GTS system could only work in the direction from Ukraine to Hungary»,— Makogon wrote.
He clarified that this became possible after technical measures on the pipeline.
“The Hungarian direction has become the second guaranteed route for gas supplies to Ukraine after Slovakia, even in the absence of transit,” — Makogon noted and added that now traders will be able to organize the supply of liquefied gas from the terminal in Croatia.
On the day Makogon announced the reverse, negotiations between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and President Vladimir Putin are to take place in Moscow. One of the goals of the negotiations— increase in the volume of deliveries of Russian gas to Hungary. “I want to achieve in the negotiations that in these difficult times, with rising energy prices in the framework of Russian-Hungarian relations, in the long term, in the interests of Hungarian security, the amount of gas available to us at the present time,” — said the prime minister.
At the end of September 2021, Hungary signed with Gazprom new long-term contract for the supply of 4.5 billion cubic meters. m of gas annually for 15 years. Deliveries began on October 1, gas passes through the Turkish Stream bypassing the GTS of Ukraine.
On the eve of the signing of the contract, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that it was “surprised and disappointed” decision of the Hungarian authorities. In a statement from the department, Budapest's decision to conclude a new long-term contract with Gazprom for the supply of gas bypassing Ukraine was called “exclusively political”; and “economically unjustified”, as well as “adopted to please the Kremlin and to the detriment of the national interests of Ukraine and Ukrainian-Hungarian relations.”
In an article by Makogon, published on the website of the “GTS Operator of Ukraine” it is said that in the autumn-winter period Ukraine consumes an average of 130 & minus; 140 million cubic meters. m of gas per day, and during peak periods— up to 200 million cubic meters m. At the same time, the country's own production is about 55 million cubic meters. m per day.
If transit from Russia stops, Ukraine will be able to import about 27 million cubic meters from Slovakia. m, and from Hungary— about 8 million cubic meters The rest will have to be covered by our own production and gas lifting from underground storage facilities, the article says.
The Ukrainian authorities announced energy independence from Russia and the cessation of gas purchases from Gazprom in 2015. However, the announced reverse from Europe was actually virtual. Russian gas was consumed from the transit pipe, gas of its own production was pumped into it along the way, and the difference at the border with European countries was paid by the Ukrainian side and was considered received on the reverse.
Putin has repeatedly criticized this method of gas supply. “I want it to be clear to everyone: no reverse is possible, gas cannot flow in half a pipe in one direction, but in half a pipe— to another. This is nonsense, you understand, “soft-boiled boots”, & mdash; Putin said at a press conference following the BRICS summit in 2019.
In 2020, Makogon admitted that it is easier for Ukraine to import Russian gas on a virtual reverse, since an agreement with a European operator allows you to buy fuel directly on Ukrainian territory , without first delivering it to Europe.
Subscribe to Instagram RBC Get news faster than anyone else