Gazprom can stop supplying gas to Ukraine next week

From Tuesday, gas supply to Ukraine can be discontinued if a new prepayment does not receive. This was stated by Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, RIA Novosti reports .

“We are concerned about the situation related to the issue of prepayment for the gas supplied. As of Friday morning, the rest of the gas, which was prepaid to the Ukrainian side, was 123.8 million cubic meters. Given that we supply 42 million cubic meters on average, this is not taking into account the DPR and LPR, in fact, gas residue will be enough for Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” - Saturday and Sunday, ” - on Saturday and Sunday, Novak said.

On Friday, Naftogaz transferred $ 15 million as an advance payment for the beginning of March.

“Given the cost of gas, this is the volume that is approximately daily supplies from Gazprom Naftogaz. Thus, taking into account today's prepayment, delivery can be made on Monday. From Tuesday, there may not be a new prepayment,” the minister said.

According to Naftogaz, the company from March 1 plans to reduce the application for the supply of paid Russian gas to 10 million cubic meters per day from 54.9 million. Thus, the transferred funds will be enough until March 5. Naftogaz recalls that in accordance with the conditions of the winter package, the company has the right to independently determine the schedule and volumes of prepayment. Gazprom is obliged to supply prepaid and ordered gas. However, over the past week, Gazprom has not fulfilled a single application of Naftogaz in full.

“We made an advance payment at the beginning of the month. The decision on the schedule for the selection of prepaid volumes and on the further prepayment will depend on the weather conditions in Ukraine and on the proper execution of the Gazprom contract,” said Andrei Kobolev, chairman of the board of Naftogaz.

On Thursday, the official representative of Gazprom Sergey Kupriyanov said that the company is ready to bring the current gas supply to the LPR and the DPR outside the negotiations .

“We continue to actively correspond with Naftogaz, which yesterday with its letter confirmed the amount of the remaining paid gas - 206 million cubic meters for yesterday. We are ready to currently bring out the supply of our gas to the Donbass. And we are ready to put the volumes declared to the entrance indicated by them,” Kupriyanov said.

On February 19, Kobolev said that the company does not intend to pay for direct gas supply to the LPR and the DPR . Gazprom began them after the termination of gas supply to the Donbass from Ukraine due to damage to the gas pipeline as a result of battles. Kobolev emphasized that the supply procedure was strictly regulated, and without the consent of Naftogaz, Gazprom does not have the right to supply gas in those areas that are not agreed with the Ukrainian side.

On Monday, Naftogaz was accused of Russia of violating the Brussels agreements due to the fact that it did not fulfill the application for the supply of prepaid gas on February 22. According to the Ukrainian company, instead of 114 million cubic meters of gas ordered under the contract, she was given only 47 million.

In addition, Naftogaz noted that as of February 19, the Russian side was sent for 454 million cubic meters of gas, but "at the beginning of February 23, the prepaid balance is 287 million cubic meters." According to the contract, the permissible deviation from the daily supply of delivery is not more than 6 percent.