16 June 2014

Today's headlines blaze: 'Russia has cut off gas supplies to Ukraine'

Today was the deadline for settling the gas dispute between Ukraine and Russia. About 15% of the EU's gas supply is Russian gas piped through Ukraine. But Ukraine's discounted rate for gas - negotiated with former President Yanukovych - was halted in April after Moscow accused Kyiv of failing to pay its bills.

Russia's state-owned Gazprom announced that Ukraine had to pay upfront for its gas supplies. However, Kyiv has been unable to settle its huge debt.

To appease the European Union, clearly to resist European interests turning against Russia (in spite of Russia's blatant disregard for existing international laws and continuing, obvious Russian-backed aggression Eastern Ukraine, including supplying tanks to drive into Ukraine last Friday/Saturday), Gazprom stressed it would continue to supply Europe with gas at "full volume". 

However, EU member states could nevertheless be affected. There is talk of a South Stream project, a pipeline which would take gas directly to Europe bypassing Ukraine. However, according the European Commission warns this project may break EU competition rules. That is a worry only if any of the European countries and interest care to listen?

Ongoing fighting in Donetsk has clearly established Eastern Ukraine as a conflict-zone. This is not a crisis. It's a war zone. 

Ukraine's National Bank building in Donestk has been captured by separatists.

06.16.2014 Kyiv
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine REPORT:

Fighting near Semyonovka (five kilometres southeast of Sloviansk in the Donetsk region) has caused damage to the Donetsk city water supply, with potentially serious consequences for its one million inhabitants and three million others.

The SMM met on 15 June the elected Donetsk City Mayor Lukyanchenko at the City Administration building The interlocutor said that a water pumping station and a section of pipeline in the area of Semyonovka – astride the main Donetsk-Sloviansk road (M-03/E40), five kilometres southeast from central Sloviansk and 110 kilometres north of Donetsk – had been damaged in recent fighting between Government forces and their armed opponents.

This pumping station and pipeline constitute the main water supply for Donetsk city’s population of one million, and a further three million inhabitants of the region. The effects of this disruption are not yet felt in the city, but this would alter, the Mayor said, ‘in a very short while.’ His workforce began repairs – expected to take three days – at 0900 hrs this morning, but these were interrupted at 1320 by reports of renewed gunfire between both Government and ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ forces, despite the truce brokered with all sides by the Mayor.

The Mayor asked for OSCE assistance in communicating the seriousness of any interruption to this arterial water-supply to the city, and its surroundings. The SMM is carrying out the necessary contacts in order to allow resumption of repair work.