Energy expert on TurkStream: Putin's goal to deprive Ukraine of transit state status

The launch of the first thread of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, which Russia is currently constructing across the Black Sea bypassing the territory of Ukraine, could cut Ukraine’s gas transit volumes by almost 18%, that’s according to an energy expert with the Razumkov Center, Serhiy Dyachenko.

"It is highly likely that if the first thread of the Turkish Stream is built and launched, it will take over the volumes of Russian gas now passing via Ukraine for [the needs of] Turkey," he told an UNIAN correspondent.

The state-owned operator of Ukraine’s gas transmission system, Ukrtransgaz, told UNIAN that in 2017, some 16.6 billion cubic meters of gas was pumped via the territory of Ukraine to cover the needs of Turkey, which is 17.9% of the total transit volume over the previous year.

"If the second thread of the Turkish Stream is built, we may also lose the volumes that are now flowing through our territory to the countries of South-Eastern Europe," added Dyachenko.

According to Ukrtransgaz, last year the company transported 3.6 billion cubic meters of gas for the needs of South-Eastern Europe (via the gas measuring station "Orlivka"), without taking into account the gas for the needs of Turkey.

Read alsoGas transit via Ukraine in 2017 sets 7-year highDyachenko also believes that once the gas pipeline bypassing Ukraine is commissioned, Kyiv will be able to retain part of the gas transit for Ankara only if Turkey increases gas consumption, for example, as a result of building more thermal power plants.

"Russia's actions are dictated by a single goal - to deprive Ukraine of a transit state status, which they’ve had in mind since Putin came to power," the expert said, commenting on the main reason for Russia to construct gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine.

Read alsoUkraine needs U.S. help to confront Nord Stream II – Naftogaz CEOAs UNIAN reported earlier, citing Naftogaz of Ukraine, the launch of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline will deprive Ukraine of annual revenues from gas transit amounting to $500 million. In early December 2017, Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev said that Gazprom had already laid down about half of the Turkstream’s first thread.