GTSOU says Sokhranovka will not reopen until it retakes gas grid: press
The head of Ukraine's gas grid operator GTSOU has said that Russian gas transit via the Sokhranivka border point will not be resumed until it has taken back control of the affected area from Russian troops, Reuters reported on May 12.
GTSOU declared a force majeure on transit via this route due to Russian advances in the Lugansk region. Specifically, it has lost control of the Novospkov border compressor station and other assets in Russian-occupied territories.
Sokhranovka handles roughly a third of Ukraine's transit of Russian gas to Europe, equating to a maximum of 32.6mn m3/day.
GTSOU's Sergiy Makogon told Reuters there would be no disruption to European supplies as the Sudzha transit pipeline is still running, and has enough space for all Gazprom's deliveries via Ukraine. Sudzha lies to the northwest of Sokhranovka. Gazprom told TASS it dispatched 50.6mn m3 of gas through the alternative route on May 12, and 72mn m3 of gas the previous day.
Makogon said Ukrainian separatists supported by the Kremlin had started pilfering gas from Sokhranovka in Russian-controlled areas, which has strengthened the rationale for the route's temporary closure.