Slovakia issues cations regarding consequences of Ukrainian assault on Russia
Date
8/11/2024 7:37:53 AM
(MENAFN) Karel Hirman, the former Slovak economy minister, has issued a stark warning about the impact of recent Ukrainian military actions on Russian natural gas supplies. According to Hirman, the volume of gas flowing through the Druzhba pipeline has significantly decreased following reports of Ukrainian troops seizing control of the Sudzha station in Russia’s Kursk Region.
Hirman revealed in a facebook post on Thursday that the gas flow through the pipeline has dropped to 37.25 million cubic meters per day, a reduction from the steady 42 million cubic meters previously recorded. This decrease marks the lowest daily volume since May 2023. The decline in gas flow is attributed to intense fighting near Sudzha that began on Tuesday when over a thousand Ukrainian soldiers crossed the Russian border.
In a press conference held in Bratislava, Hirman underscored the severity of the situation, suggesting that the ongoing conflict could lead to a complete halt in Russian gas supplies through Ukraine. Slovakia’s gas utility, SPP, has been preparing for such disruptions for years and has explored alternative energy sources to mitigate potential shortages.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have stated that the objective of their operations is to instill fear in the Russian populace, as noted by Mikhail Podoliak, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky. On the other hand, Russia's envoy to the US, Anatoly Antonov, has called on the United States to stop arming Ukraine and to rein in extremist elements within the Ukrainian military. The American government has yet to take definitive action, though it has sought more information from Kyiv regarding the situation.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Gazprom continued to transport gas through Ukrainian territory after the onset of hostilities in February 2022, with transit fees paid to Kyiv supporting Ukraine’s war efforts. However, the Ukrainian government recently demanded a cessation of all Russian gas exports, exacerbating concerns about future energy supplies.
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