NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy has accused Russia`s OAO Gazprom of violating its commitments under a gas transit contact following a drastic reduction in gas delivery pressure.
”Transit volumes have declined even further. I`d say they`re at a record low now… In addition to a reduction in transit supplies, Russia has lowered gas delivery pressure at entry to Ukraine, which creates certain technical problems for Ukrtransgaz [the operator of Ukraine`s gas transport system],” Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolev stated on Channel 5 on Wednesday evening.
”For now, the company has been able to resolve these problems efficiently,” he added.
Kobolev said he had written a letter to the European Commission proposing that a monitoring group be sent to analyze the situation, register instances of Gazprom violating its contractual commitments to supply gas pressure to Ukraine`s gas transport system and take a decision on how to handle the situation.
Russia is trying to put pressure on Ukraine, and Naftogaz in particular, to minimize costs, Kobolev remarked.
”It seems to me the Russians want to do everything they can to prove to their European partners that Ukraine cannot be a transit country, and what they have resorted to is `cut and dried` blackmailing,” he declared.
According to Kobolev, Gazprom`s behavior seems to be part of its tactics to promote the Nord Stream II.
On July 24-25, gas transit shipments via Ukraine declined to 154-155 million cubic meters of natural gas per day from 180-210 million cubic meters in the first 23 days of July, Ukrtransgaz said.
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