In the first days of the calendar spring in the Russian media appeared the pungent headlines, the essence of which can be reduced to one sentence: Ukraine survived the winter without Russian gas
Of course, this fact can be found many explanations, including very positive for Gazprom. That and the “reverse” gas, which Ukraine buys from the European countries, is still partly Russian. The fact that lower gas consumption due to the crisis in Ukrainian industry, so in the case of economic growth without “Gazprom” is still not enough. The fact that the Russian energy still supply gas portion of the territory of Ukraine — the part that is under the control of Moscow. But no matter how much let’s explanation, the crux of the situation does not change.
Ukraine no longer depend on Russia energetically. But Russia is still, despite all their efforts, despite the billions of dollars that are thrown into alternative routes of gas supply depends on Ukraine as a transit country. A few years ago, this turn of events was inconceivable. It seemed — and not only in Moscow but also in many Western capitals that Ukraine is firmly seated on the Russian “gas needle”. While the needle is in Gazprom’s egg. And the egg in the Kremlin. And where they get away from us?
It turned out, however, that is where. The energy dependence of Ukraine from Russia was never exclusively economic dependency. This dependence was especially corrupt. That is why at the state level and discussed various ingenious schemes, which have helped to enrich Ukrainian and Russian officials. It is through these schemes on the Ukrainian political scene was the ill-fated group of traders from RosUkrEnergo, finding approaches well literally all Ukrainian presidents and Prime Ministers. Now the head of this group, Dmitry Firtash is in Austria awaiting a final decision on extradition to the United States, and the other two of its leading representative, Serhiy Lyovochkin and Yuriy Boyko, are taking frantic efforts to remain in the Ukrainian political and business scene. And the gas is supplied. Not from Russia. Just as raw material, not as an instrument of pressure.
And the background of this change of fate, it becomes obvious that energy blackmail and corruption ties were to the Kremlin the only real possibilities to influence neighbors. Ukraine had cheap gas, Belarus with cheap oil. This is ties of the “Russian world”. Once Russian energy resources, an alternative to (or the Kremlin raises prices), it turns out that there is no “Russian world” was not there. Then, instead of power appear “polite green men”. Then place Miller in the office, Putin takes Shoigu. But this is not strength. This is from impotence. The state, which imposes its friendship with the help of bribery or murder, not worthy of respect.
