About half of Russia's natural gas exports to Europe still pass through Ukraine. The other half of Russia's European gas pipeline exports go via Turkstream under the Black Sea.
Gazprom supplies about 42 million cubic meters per day to Europe via Ukraine.
The Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline brings gas via Sudzha in the Kursk region near Ukraine. Sudzha is the last trans-shipping point for Russian natural gas to Western and Central Europe that is still operational.
About 14.65 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas was supplied via Sudzha in 2023, or about half of Russian natural gas exports to Europe. EU gas consumption fell to 295 bcm in 2023.
Ukraine's gas transmission operator said Russian gas transit via Ukraine increased by 10.5% in January-July year on year, to 8 bcm.
Old Austro-Hungarian empire reliant on contemporary Russian gas
Gas pipelines, as part of the Ukrainian corridor, provide gas transit in the direction of Slovakia. In Slovakia, the gas pipeline is divided, one of the branches goes to the Czech Republic, the other to Austria. The main buyers of gas are Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.
In December 2019, Moscow and Kyiv signed a long-term five-year agreement for the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine: 45 bcm in 2020 and 40 bcm per year in 2021-2024. The agreement on Russian gas transit to Europe through Ukraine expires in 2024, and Kyiv has said it has no intention of extending it or concluding a new deal.
In May 2022, Ukraine stopped receiving transit gas through the Sokhranovka station with a capacity of 30 million cubic meters per day, citing force majeure and proposing to transfer all transit volumes to Sudzha.
Naftogaz initiated legal proceedings against Gazprom in September 2022. The Ukrainian company demanded payment for transit via Ukraine, which was not made in full due to the suspension of gas reception via Sokhranovka.