Elena Buturlim18:16, 08.08.24

Some analysts have suggested that Kyiv’s goal may be to completely cut off Russian gas supplies to Europe as a point of influence.

Ukraine currently controls a gas metering station in the city of Sudzha in the Kursk region of Russia , The Washington Post writes,  citing an anonymous statement from an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Some analysts have suggested that Kyiv’s goal may be to cut off Russian gas supplies to Europe entirely as a point of leverage. On Thursday, gas was still flowing through Sudzha, the last operational loading point of the pipeline that carries Russian natural gas to Europe via Ukraine. Ukraine receives lucrative transit fees but has expressed a desire to cut off the rest of Russia’s energy business in Europe,” the article says.

It is also noted that the Russian National Guard announced that it was strengthening security around the Kursk nuclear power plant, which is located about 40 miles (about 70 km) northeast of the city of Sudzha.

It is worth noting that Russian bloggers reported on August 7 that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had captured the Sudzha gas measuring station , but there was no official confirmation.

The Impact of the Ukrainian Operation in Russia on the Gas Market

On August 7, gas prices in Europe soared to their highest level this year on news that Ukrainian troops may have captured a key gas transit point in Russia’s Sudzha.

Gas prices continued to rise on August 8. Natural gas flows through Ukraine continue, albeit at the lowest levels this year. Russian exporter PAO Gazprom said transit through the Sudzha receiving point was set at 37.3 million cubic meters per day on Thursday. The slight decline was due to fewer inquiries from customers, people familiar with the matter said.

(C)UNIAN 2024