If Ukraine refuses to supply gas to Russian company Gazprom, the country can expect a protracted and serious crisis
Many experts are convinced of this, the Ekonomika Segodnya resource reports, citing a publication by the Vzglyad newspaper. Ukrainian social facilities will not be able to survive the cold without fuel from Russia.
At the same time, Kiev should not rely on gas from Europe. Its price on the local market is simply unaffordable for it. But a few years ago it abandoned the scheme of long-term agreements with Gazprom.
“Now we import gas at a very high price, but the country’s energy security is a priority for us”, – admitted Yuriy Vitrenko, the general director of Naftogaz.
Already now Kiev is categorically short of fuel. Storage facilities are only 19 billion cubic metres full. Normally this figure reaches 26.5 billion cubic metres before the winter period.
Schools, kindergartens, hospitals and other social facilities will be at risk first. The state simply will not be able to provide them with the necessary heating.