Russian gas supplies to China soar by 60 pc in 2022

Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia’s gas supplies to China have soared by as much as 60 per cent in the first four months of 2022 compared to the same period last year.

Russian energy giant Gazprom announced the significant rise in exports on Sunday, even as energy exports to Europe remain uncertain in light of the ongoing hostilities, and the tightening sanctions on Russia by the West.

The deliveries have been made through the Power of Siberia pipeline as part of the contract between Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the company said, reported Russia Today.

Beijing has refrained from outrightly condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, only urging for a diplomatic solution instead.

The energy standoff between Russia and the West has led to gas supplies to countries outside the former Soviet Union dropping by 26.9 per cent since the start of the year, the report said, adding that, a total of 50.1 billion cubic meters have been delivered over the past four months.

Further, Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier ordered gas payments from “unfriendly countries,” which include the European Union (EU), to be made in rubles from March 31.

The EU initially rejected Moscow’s new rules, calling them “blackmail,” but the European Commission recently said there could be ways to pay for Russian gas in rubles without violating the sanctions.

Some countries, however, have still refused to switch to rubles, causing Gazprom to cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria in late April, the report said.