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<td>[ufpj-activist] Russia Fires Ukraine as Natural Gas
Transit for Europe</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Tue, 20 Jan 2015 04:47:01 +0000</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Michael Eisenscher
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:m_eisenscher@uslaboragainstwar.org"><m_eisenscher@uslaboragainstwar.org></a></td>
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<td>Michael Eisenscher
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:m_eisenscher@uslaboragainstwar.org"><m_eisenscher@uslaboragainstwar.org></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td>UFPJ Activist List
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ufpj-activist@lists.mayfirst.org"><ufpj-activist@lists.mayfirst.org></a></td>
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<div><font size="6">Russia Fires Ukraine as Natural Gas Transit
for Europe </font></div>
<div> </div>
<blockquote class="cite2" type="cite">
<div>by Michael Collins {1} </div>
<div> </div>
<div>OpEdNews (January 15 2015) </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Russia executed a bold move on January 14, one that was
largely unanticipated. It shows the level of disgust with both
the coup-based Ukraine government and the European Union
leaders and their small state followers. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ukraine is finished as a supply route for Russian natural
gas headed for European Union countries. EU countries get 25
to thirty percent of their natural gas from the Ukraine
pipeline. The gas transiting Ukraine will be diverted to the
recently announced Russia-Turkey pipeline {2}. The Turks will
create a portal at the Greek border where Europeans can
purchase natural gas. The pipeline will be complete in 2017
{3}. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Of course, the EU countries will need to build the pipeline
infrastructure from the Turkish portal to various European
countries. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Russian natural gas delivered to Europe via Ukraine was off
47% in 2014 {4}. The end of Ukraine transit will eventually
eliminate $1.7 billion a year that Ukraine earns from hosting
the pipeline. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Ukraine gas pipeline has been a headache for Russia for
years. The Russians claim that Ukraine siphoned off gas from
amounts intended for Europe. The issue came to a head in 2006
with Ukraine officials confessing that they had taken gas
intended for Europe {5}. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Lost opportunity for Europe </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://i0.wp.com/www.opednews.com/populum/uploadnic/turkruss-gif_3863_20150115-351.gif">https://i0.wp.com/www.opednews.com/populum/uploadnic/turkruss-gif_3863_20150115-351.gif</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Russia cancelled the South Stream gas pipeline to Europe
and replaced it with the Russia-Turkey pipeline </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Shock and Awe </div>
<div> </div>
<div>United States intelligence agencies tapping the phones of
European leaders must be getting an earful about this
announcement. The EU must replace the Russian gas, thirty
percent of their annual supply, by 2017. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>As the conflict between Russia and the EU and Obama
administration festered, a number of suggestions were offered
as replacement alternatives for Russia’s natural gas. This
is wishful thinking according to a revealing comment made by
Germany’s Economy Minister in March 2014: </div>
<div> </div>
<div> “There is no sensible alternative to Russian gas to
meet Europe’s energy needsâ€, German Economy Minister
Sigmar Gabriel said on Friday. </div>
<div> </div>
<div> “Many people acted as if there plenty of other sources
from which Europe could draw its gas, but this is not the
caseâ€, Gabriel told a energy forum organised by the local
daily Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung on Thursday. {6} </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Will Europe be able to find a sensible alternative before
the gas shifts from the Ukraine pipeline to the Russia-Turkey
pipeline in 2017? </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Russia’s patience has reached its limit. Why would that
be? </div>
<div> </div>
<div>* The US spent $5 billion to create an anti Russian
government in Ukraine, right on Russia’s border. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>* The US and EU strongly supported the coup government
despite its attacks on civilians in the eastern part of the
country and the presence of extremist right wing elements and
Nazi sympathizers. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>* The US and EU stenographers in the mainstream media
routinely report misinformation, for example, Russian
invasions of Ukraine that never occurred. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>* The US and EU immediately blamed eastern Ukraine
resistance forces and implicated Russia in the shoot down of
Malaysian flight MH17. The charges were and remain completely
unsubstantiated. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>* The US and EU implemented economic sanctions against
Russia and specific individuals in Russia that are intended to
attack the economy. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>* Since December 2014, Russia has endured a vicious attack
on its currency combined with directed efforts to drive down
oil prices by US protectorate Saudi Arabia. A significant
portion of Russian government income comes from oil exports. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>It’s called regime change. The Russians know it. The
Obama administration and its EU puppets know it. Just about
anybody paying attention knows it. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://i0.wp.com/www.ukrainewar.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/eurogas.gif">https://i0.wp.com/www.ukrainewar.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/eurogas.gif</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>European dependance on Russian natural gas (image by
MIchael Collins) </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In response to this, Russia engaged in efforts at a
diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis {7}, making major
energy deals with China {8}, and construction deals with India
through 2035 {9}. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>It is clear that Russia has taken the gloves off and will
begin to respond to the attacks on its people, nation, and
leader with real force. Eliminating 25 to thirty percent of
European gas supplies in two years is a stunning move. The EU
must scramble to find alternatives that the German Economy
Minister says are fictional. Even if it does have substitutes,
the prices will be higher and the output dirtier. (Image data)
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There is an alternative. The US and EU can stop trying to
topple the Putin government, stop causing suffering to the
Russian people, and stop propping up a virulently anti Russian
government in Ukraine. That might make a difference. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Links: </div>
<div> </div>
<div>{1} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.opednews.com/author/author3863.html">http://www.opednews.com/author/author3863.html</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{2} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/putin-s-pipeline-bypassing-ukraine-at-risk-amid-conflict.html">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/putin-s-pipeline-bypassing-ukraine-at-risk-amid-conflict.html</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{3} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://ekurd.net/iraqi-kurdistan-turkey-gas-pipeline-to-be-completed-in-2017-2014-12-05">http://ekurd.net/iraqi-kurdistan-turkey-gas-pipeline-to-be-completed-in-2017-2014-12-05</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{4} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.platts.com/latest-news/natural-gas/kiev/ukraines-oct-transit-of-russian-natural-gas-to-26941501">http://www.platts.com/latest-news/natural-gas/kiev/ukraines-oct-transit-of-russian-natural-gas-to-26941501</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{5} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4642684.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4642684.stm</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{6} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/no-alternative-russian-gas-europe-115316673.html#c94bafL">https://uk.news.yahoo.com/no-alternative-russian-gas-europe-115316673.html#c94bafL</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{7} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://rt.com/news/182776-putin-meeting-ukraine-poroshenko/">http://rt.com/news/182776-putin-meeting-ukraine-poroshenko/</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{8} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/world/asia/china-russia-gas-deal.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/world/asia/china-russia-gas-deal.html</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{9} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.power-technology.com/news/newsrussia-india-sign-strategic-deal-for-construction-of-12-nuclear-power-reactors-by-2035-4467751">http://www.power-technology.com/news/newsrussia-india-sign-strategic-deal-for-construction-of-12-nuclear-power-reactors-by-2035-4467751</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>{10} <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_in_the_European_energy_sector#Natural_gas_deliveries">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_in_the_European_energy_sector#Natural_gas_deliveries</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Creative Commons 3.0 </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.opednews.com/author/author3863.html">http://www.opednews.com/author/author3863.html</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.opednews.com/populum/pagem.php?f=Russia-Fires-Ukraine-as-Na-by-Michael-Collins-European-Union_Natural-Gas-Pipelines-Transport_Novorussia_Russia-150115-446.html">http://www.opednews.com/populum/pagem.php?f=Russia-Fires-Ukraine-as-Na-by-Michael-Collins-European-Union_Natural-Gas-Pipelines-Transport_Novorussia_Russia-150115-446.html</a>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
</blockquote>
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