Expert: Ukraine's gas transport system needs modernization, but still fully functional

REUTERS President of the Centre for Global Studies "Strategy XXI" Mykhailo Honchar, an expert on energy, says Ukraine&#39;s gas transmission system (GTS) is fully functional; however, it needs modernization. "... talking about it [GTS] as scrap metal means to operate within the concepts of Russian propaganda," the expert told the Ukrainian news outlet Glavred. Read alsoNaftogaz estimates Ukraine&#39;s GTS at US$12.5 blnHe stressed that "the number of accidents at the Ukrainian gas transmission system is lower than that of [Russia&#39;s gas monopoly] Gazprom." "Not without reason, Gazprom for the last five years has stopped publishing reports on pipeline accidents, otherwise the Russian propaganda&#39;s myth of the Ukrainian GTS as scrap metal would be busted," Honchar added. He also noted that there had been no interruption in gas transit supplies to Europe for more than four years of Russian aggression against Ukraine and attempted subversive activities to interrupt the operation of the gas trunk pipelines. "This is perhaps the best indicator that the GTS is successfully performing in its transport and transit," the expert added. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko earlier said that Russia would not do without the Ukrainian GTS, in any case. In his words, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is an absolutely political project, which requires investment of up to US$20 billion, while the Ukrainian GTS is already operating.

Expert: Ukraine's gas transport system needs modernization, but still fully functional

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