Kerim Sultanov
Ukrainian troops have taken the unprecedented step of invading Russia's Kursk region and seizing a strategically important site. This unexpected move has raised many questions about the reasons for the attack and possible objectives on the Ukrainian side. What is behind this attack and what are its future prospects? Ukrainian analyst Ivan Uss answered these and other questions in an interview with News.Az.
https://static.dw.com/image/69893667_906.jpg According to him, one of the events taking place in Russia's Kursk Region is the seizure of a gas distribution station near the village of Suzha by unidentified forces.
“Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for these actions, leading to suspicions that they may be the work of pro-Ukrainian groups. However, at this point it is not possible to pinpoint exactly which forces were involved in these actions, so we must be careful with what we say. One thing is clear: these forces have some kind of connection to Ukraine.”
The Suzha gas station plays a vital role in the region's gas supply system. Its main function is to allow Russia to control the volume of natural gas entering the Ukrainian gas transmission system. These figures were then cross-checked with data obtained upon exit from Ukraine and entry into the European Union. “Given that the contract for gas transportation through the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline from Russia to Europe is valid until the end of 2024, the question arises as to how reliably this gas transmission system can function now,” Us noted.
Naturally, this situation had an immediate impact on the market, the analyst said: “European natural gas prices have started to rise. On August 6, the price per megawatt hour was 34 euros, and now it has reached 40 euros. This does not seem dramatic yet, but it is a significant increase. Compared to the figures for the end of 2023, the increase is about 9%, which is definitely significant and is being actively discussed in the press.”
The week started with sharp fluctuations in global stock markets. In particular, the Japanese stock market recorded a 12% drop, while indices in Istanbul, Taiwan, South Korea, the EU and the US also fell sharply. However, by Tuesday some indicators had started to recover.
“As for gas supplies, currently, despite the hostilities, Russian gas continues to be transported to Europe through Ukrainian territory. Even if Ukrainian partners have doubts, there is data that confirms that supplies have not changed. However, the situation remains fluid, and as August 10 approaches, it is difficult to predict what changes will occur over the weekend and what new realities we will face next week,” Uss said.
News.AZ
