Russia's proposed gas pipeline to Iran
The Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Friday plans to build a pipeline to Iran that will eventually transport up to 55 billion cubic meters (bcms) of gas per year into the West Asian nation. Here are some background details about the cooperation between Iran, Russia and the gas sector. Iran is the second largest gas producer in the world after Russia. However, U.S. sanctions are preventing access to technology as well as slowing down gas exports. In July 2022, the National Iranian Oil Company and Russian energy giant Gazprom agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding worth about $40 billion.
The US sanctions against Russia have caused a spike in global diesel prices
Analysts and LSEG data indicate that global diesel prices and refinery margins increased following the latest round U.S. sanctions against Russia's oil market on the expectation of tightening supplies. On Jan. 10, the United States imposed their toughest sanctions yet against Russian producers and tanks to reduce the revenue of the No. 2 oil exporter in world. The United States used the revenue of Russia's No. 2 oil exporter to fund its war in Ukraine. Many of the newly targeted vessels, which are part of a shadow fleet, were used to transport oil to India and China.
The separatist enclave of Moldova hopes that Russia will soon resume gas supplies
Vadim Krsnoselsky, the leader of Transdniestria, a breakaway region in Moldova, said that it expects to be able to get Russian gas soon, to meet its own needs. This comes after two weeks of crippling power outages. Prime Minister of Moldova's pro European central government, said that Russia is determined to bring a Moscow friendly government into power in the country. He said that Moscow was likely to provide only a small amount of gas to guarantee electricity to both the rebel-held and government-held regions. Since January 1, Russia's Gazprom has suspended gas exports into the region.
The separatist enclave of Moldova hopes that Russia will soon resume gas supplies
Vadim Krsnoselsky, the leader of Transdniestria, a breakaway region in Moldova, said that it expects to be able to get Russian gas soon, to meet its own needs. This comes after two weeks of crippling power outages. Since January 1, when Russia's Gazprom stopped gas exports into the region, Chisinau has refused to recognize the debt Moldova owes Gazprom of $709,000,000 as valid. Moscow has blamed the suspension of gas supply on pro-Western Moldova, and Ukraine. They refused to extend the five-year transit agreement that expired on December 31 because the proceeds were used to fund Russia's invasion.
Leader of Moldova’s separatist region visits Moscow to discuss gas crisis
Transdniestria, the news agency of Transdniestria, reported that on Tuesday the leader of Moldova’s Transdniestria region has traveled to Moscow to hold talks in order to resolve a crisis resulting from the suspension of Russian Gas deliveries. Transdniestria is experiencing widespread power outages since January 1, when Russia's Gazprom stopped gas exports. The company cited an unpaid Moldovan bill of $709 millions that Chisinau doesn't recognize as valid. Moscow has blamed the suspension of gas supply on Moldova and Ukraine.
Sandu, the leader of Moldova's separatist area, has said that he travelled to Moscow in response to the gas crisis.
Transdniestria's leader has been to Moscow after the Russian gas supply via Ukraine was suspended, said the President of Moldova on Tuesday. Transdniestria is experiencing widespread power outages since January 1, when Russia's Gazprom stopped gas exports. The company cited an unpaid Moldovan bill of $709 millions that Chisinau doesn't recognize as valid. Moscow has blamed the suspension of gas supply on Moldova and Ukraine. Both countries refused to renew a five-year transit agreement that expired on December 31 because they believed the proceeds would be used to fund Russia's invasion.
Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, says that Moscow is in touch with Serbia about ownership of NIS oil company
Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, said that Moscow had been in touch with "Serbian Friends" regarding the fate of Serbian Oil Company NIS. Belgrade is concerned about U.S. sanction because Russia's Gazprom owns a majority stake. The Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic announced on Friday that, following the new U.S. sanction against Russia's oil industry, Gazprom will have 45 days to sell its ownership in NIS. Vucic said that he met with the Russian ambassador in Serbia on Tuesday to discuss "the effects of U.S. Sanctions against Russian Companies" to his NIS.
Data shows that LNG vessels are due to load at sanctioned Russian Terminals and head for Europe and Asia
Shiptracking data revealed on Tuesday that the LNG vessels scheduled to load at two recently sanctioned Russian export facilities are expected to deliver their cargo mainly to Europe, but also to Asia. The U.S. imposed the most extensive sanctions to date on Friday, targeting Russia's oil revenues and gas revenues. This was done to give Kyiv's new team and Donald Trump leverage to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine. Washington has designated two LNG terminals in Portovaya, Vysotsk, and their operators, Gazprom Portovaya SPG and Cryogas Vysotsk, respectively, for sanctions relating to the LNG industry.
Russia warns that new US energy sanctions could destabilise the global market
The Kremlin announced on Monday that it would take all possible measures to minimize the impact of the latest U.S. sanctions against the Russian energy industry. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said: "It's clear that the United States is going to continue to attempt to undermine our companies through non-competitive means. "At exactly the same time, these decisions will undoubtedly lead to an overall destabilisation of oil and energy markets internationally." We will monitor closely the effects and adjust the work of our businesses to minimize the impact of these illegal decisions. The U.S.
Slovak deputy speaker of parliament arrives in Moscow. TASS reports
The Russian state news agency TASS reported that Andrej Danko, the Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, arrived in Moscow Sunday. Bratislava is seeking a solution after Ukraine decided to stop Russian gas deliveries to Europe. TASS, as well as the Slovak media agency TASR, reported that Danko's planned visit before the gas conflict will continue through Wednesday. Slovak Premier Robert Fico stated on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had promised that Russia's Gazprom state-owned gas company would find other ways to deliver gas contracted to Slovakia once transit through Ukraine was stopped.
Russia will continue its oil and gas projects in spite of US sanctions
New U.S. The Russian government has accused the US of attempting to destabilise global markets by sabotaging the energy sector in Moscow. It said that the country will continue with its large oil and natural gas projects. In a statement, the ministry said that Russia will also respond to Washington's actions announced on Friday as "hostile", while drafting its foreign policy strategy. The measures were the most comprehensive U.S. sanctions against Russia's oil revenues and gas revenues to date. They are part of measures designed to give Kyiv…
The Serbian President says that Azerbaijani gas to Serbia has been suspended.
The gas flow from Azerbaijan into Serbia has been stopped and it's unclear when it will resume. This was the statement of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, according to news agency Tanjug. Vucic stated that it was unclear when gas flow would resume. Vucic added that the gas flow would be resumed in about a month. Serbia, which consumes more than 3 billion cubic meters of gas annually, signed an agreement with Azerbaijan in 2023 to buy 400 million cubic meters of natural gas each year starting 2024. The remainder of the gas is imported from Russia.
Protesters say Fico dragging Slovakia to Russia in Ukraine gas dispute
On Friday, thousands of protesters in Slovak's capital chanted and held banners accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico that he was dragging his country to Russia after meeting President Vladimir Putin during a dispute over gas with Ukraine last month. Slovakia and Ukraine have argued over Ukraine's decision to stop transiting Russian gas through their territory as of Jan. 1. The aim is to cut off Moscow from its revenue stream. Fico and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met in Moscow on December 22 to discuss the transit of gas.
Separatists pro-Russians in Moldova extend state of emergencies amid gas cuts
Transdniestria, a separatist region in Moldova backed by Moscow and afflicted with an energy shortage after losing its access to Russian gas that has sustained its economy for decades, extended the state of emergency for another month on Friday. Gazprom, a Russian company, suspended its gas exports to Transdniestria at the beginning of January. The reason given was unpaid Moldovan bills totaling $709 million. Moldova denies that debt, and claims Moscow is provoking a crisis in order to undermine the pro-Western government. Moscow says that Russia used to provide gas to Transdniestria through Ukraine.
The Moldovan President visits the area affected by blackouts and blames Russia's Gazprom
On Thursday, the Moldovan president Maia Sandu visited areas that were experiencing rolling power outages and blamed Russian Gas giant Gazprom. The energy crisis in the pro-Russian enclave of Transdniestria is a result of this. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson in Moscow, said that Moldova and Ukraine are responsible for the power and heating shortages. The foreign minister of Finland met with officials in both government-controlled Moldova and the separatist enclave and pledged to help both sides achieve a settlement. Transdniestria has been receiving Russian gas for over 30 years.
In the pro-Russian region of Moldova, thousands are left without gas or heat
Authorities said that more than 51,000 households in Moldova's pro Russian separatist enclave were without gas, and 1,500 apartment blocks had no heating for winter. Moldova and Russia have been trading blame over an escalating crisis. Transdniestria (a breakaway region dominated by Russian speakers along the Ukrainian border) had been receiving Russian gas through Ukraine for decades. It used it to produce electricity that was sold to the rest Moldova and provided 80% of its power. This gas, along with the…
In the pro-Russian region of Moldova, thousands are left without gas or heat
Authorities said that more than 51,000 households in the pro-Russian separatist region of Moldova were without gas, and 1,500 apartment blocks had no heat for winter. This was after Ukraine refused to renew a transit agreement last week with Russia. Transdniestria (a separatist region dominated by Russian speakers along the Ukrainian border) had been receiving Russian gas through Ukraine for decades. It used it to produce electricity that was sold to the rest Moldova and provided 80% of its power. This gas,…
After gas cutoff, the breakaway region of Moldova faces prolonged blackouts
Local authorities reported that Saturday saw a longer period of rolling power outages in Transdniestria (the pro-Russian breakaway region of Moldova), which is now without Russian gas because it no longer transits through Ukraine. The flow of Russian gas through Ukraine into central and eastern Europe ceased on New Year's Day, after the transit agreement between the two warring nations expired and Kyiv refused a renewal. Transdniestria is a predominantly Russian-speaking enclave that has lived alongside Moldova since it broke away in the final days of Soviet rule.
Officials say that the breakaway region of Moldova will face new power outages on Saturday.
Local authorities have confirmed that power cuts will continue in Transdniestria on Saturday. The region, which is a breakaway Moldovan region, has been left without Russian supplies after Ukraine decided not to renew a contract for Russian transit gas. After the expiration of the transit agreement, Kyiv refused to do business with Moscow. Transdniestrian officials announced that the first rolling blackouts had begun on Friday night. The region that is mainly Russian-speaking, located along the Moldova-Ukraine frontier and that split from Moldova in 1990, received Russian gas through Ukraine and used it for electricity production.
Russia stops gas exports via Ukraine to Europe
The transit agreement has expired, according to Gazprom. Gas exports from Russia via Ukraine have been stopped as of 08:00 Moscow Time (0500 GMT). The closure of Russia's longest gas route to Europe brings an end to a decade-long fraught relationship sparked by Russia s 2014 seizure Crimea. The TurkStream pipeline, which runs along the Black Sea bed, is still used by Russia to export gas. After the start of the conflict in Ukraine, in 2022, the European Union increased its efforts in order to reduce its dependency on Russian energy by looking for alternative sources.
