Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Russia is trying to apply additional lever of influence on Ukraine through imitating broad international support to the South Stream gas pipeline, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Turkey Serhiy Korsunsky has said in an interview published in a Saturday issue of the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (Mirror Weekly) Newspaper.

The ambassador reminded that the concept of the South Stream, which has been actively pushed forward by Russia suggests considerable redistribution of gas from the Ukrainian route to the Black Sea route.

“At the official level Gazprom has announced the plans to use the South Stream to ship first of all Turkmen gas first of all. However, have a look at the map – it is hard to explain, why should Turkmenistan send gas into such a long journey around the Caspian Sea, if the construction of a gas pipeline lying directly from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan will cost considerably less,” he said.

At the same time, they haven’t yet found a source of funds for the construction of a very complicated underwater section, which may range from EUR 20 billion to EUR 25 billion, the ambassador said.

“They are still to agree the ecological aspect, but the project initiators have already gladly reported using all the controlled media about the extending list of the states, which are joining the South Stream: Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Croatia. They are being promised anything,” Korsunsky said.

The ambassador said the strategic task of Gazprom is to return the position it has lost during the crisis when the consumption of the Russian gas by its traditional consumers fell considerably. In this connection Gazprom needs to be sure that the situation in Ukraine will be under control.