Gas transit through Ukraine after the launch of the Turkish Stream will decrease by 12–13 billion cubic meters a year, which will reduce revenue by about $ 500,000. .

“Now Ukraine needs to direct our efforts to prevent the construction of the second line of the Turkish Stream.” Because then it will further reduce the volume of gas pumping through Ukraine to Europe, ”he said in an interview with Channel 24.

If Kiev wants to avoid such a development of events, then it needs to attract foreign partners to its side, I'm sure Unigovsky. First of all, Italy, which receives 23 billion cubic meters annually through Ukraine. Thus, Kiev can try to keep the volume of gas pumped through the country in the amount of at least 40-60 billion cubic meters.

“Not because we cannot manage ourselves. Without a European partner, it will be difficult for Ukraine to reach an agreement and force Gazprom to keep large volumes of gas pumping through our gas transport system, ”added Unigovsky.

Macroeconomic laws

All conversations of representatives of Ukraine about any damage or loss are incorrect, said in an interview with RT the former adviser to the former president of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, political scientist Oleg Soskin.

“In the world economy there is no such thing - to harm someone. No one harms anyone, it is an objective economic process. But Kiev needs to be shown that they are supposedly victims. If the thief himself, you must shout hold thief. Everything around them is to blame, except for themselves, ”explained Soskin.

According to the expert, Russia is proceeding from its own interests in the matter of building a gas pipeline, and this is absolutely normal. Moscow entered into an agreement with Ankara, which will also receive a larger percentage of GDP when the Turkish Stream is launched. Yet statements that are audible in Ukraine about losses, according to Soskin, come from incompetent people who think in categories that are far from a market economy.

  • Gas compressor station Volovets in the west of Ukraine.
  • © Gleb Garanich / Reuters

“Those people who came to power in 2014 are completely incompetent and not educated ... They don’t understand anything in the economy. They always knew that if you get to the gas flow, then you will become rich, - concluded the expert. “But the pipe has dried up and now they shout that they have not been fed.”

Creating a crisis

Political analysts also note that the local authorities themselves created a critical situation in which Ukraine is located, ineptly conducting negotiations with Russia. This opinion is shared by the deputy director of the Institute of CIS Countries Vladimir Zharikhin.

“Ukraine is now worried that it will no longer be able to dictate its terms to Russia. Ukraine itself has arranged all these gas crises. It forced Russia to create alternatives, ”the expert explained in a conversation with RT, recalling the many disputes between Naftogaz and Gazprom, many of which reached the court.

  • One of the central buildings of Gazprom in Moscow.
  • © Maxim Shemetov / Reuters

He pointed out that Ukraine was in such a situation that even if it creates the most loyal conditions for the Russian transit, still a significant part of the fuel will be channeled through the newly built Nord Stream and South Stream.

Experts also note that the Ukrainian pipeline system needs reconstruction, and this factor, among other things, creates additional risks in cooperation with Ukraine.

From the moment of the collapse of the USSR, Kiev did not make any investments in the repair and reconstruction of the hydraulic structures, with the exception of point repairs. It was because of the technical condition of the Ukrainian gas transportation systems as early as 2002 that Moscow was negotiating with Ukraine to create a consortium with the functions of a management company, which reached an impasse, reminded Alexander Frolov, deputy general director of the National Energy Institute.

“By the end of the last decade, it was clear to all concerned that Ukraine itself could not manage its CTS qualitatively and for a long period, it does not finance it. Because of this, logical breakdowns can start - pipeline breakthroughs, in addition, the fact of political crises arose, ”he said in an interview with RT.

According to experts, countries interested in fuel supply support the construction of alternative gas pipelines. Thus, in response to attacks by the United States on the Nord Stream - 2 and Turkish Stream - 2 in Germany, they emphasize that the projects are purely economic in nature and do not threaten any of the countries.

Building ahead

"Turkish Stream" involves the construction of two gas pipelines along the bottom of the Black Sea, each with a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters. The first is intended for gas supplies to Turkish consumers, the second - to the countries of Southern and South-Eastern Europe. November 19 began laying the last section of the offshore section of the pipeline. The ceremony was attended by Russian and Turkish leaders Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The head of the Russian Federation noted that the full-fledged launch of the gas pipeline is scheduled for 2019.

“Ahead of laying the land part of the“ Turkish Stream ”. We expect that these works will be conducted at the same accelerated pace in order to start the gas pipeline, as planned, until the end of 2019, ”said Putin.

The head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, for his part, confirmed that the gas pipeline was being laid in advance, because it was planned to complete the construction of the offshore section of the gas pipeline in December.