How energy supplies can be disrupted e.g. Russia Flashcards
Background:
• Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been high since 2004, when pro-Western forces led by President Viktor Yushchenko
won control of the government over Viktor Yanukovych, a
Moscow ally. Russia also opposes Ukraine’s desire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the EU.
• The EU gets a quarter of its gas supplies from Russia - 80% of which passes through Ukraine
What sparked the crisis?
Ukraine and Russia have faced negotiations over the renewal of gas supply contracts every year and couldn’t agree on a price (2009) and Russia accused Ukraine of taking gas meant for European customers and so cut off gas for more than a dozen countries.
Impacts:
Some, like Bulgaria, Serbia and Bosnia, are almost completely dependent on supplies via Ukraine
and so were left with major shortages, during a very cold spell in Europe.
In the meantime European countries had to shut down industrial plants and domestic heating systems, find alternative sources of gas or switch energy plants to oil. Schools were shut and people had to revert to using log fires to heat their homes.
