JohninMK on Wed May 24, 2017 12:31 am
First this, the Gazprom case in Stockholm, then the Russia case in London.
Gazprom's projects aimed at bypassing Ukraine amid the ongoing crisis facing that country have put Kiev's status as a transit state in jeopardy. Experts warn that a perfect storm of negative factors is making it increasingly likely that the value of Ukraine's impressive network of pipelines will soon be equivalent to that of scrap metal.
This week, Russia and Ukraine's years-long legal row over gas prices and delivery terms took a new turn, with Naftogaz chief commercial officer Yuri Vitrenko revealing that Gazprom may claim up to $80 billion from Kiev at arbitration hearings in Stockholm. The Russian energy company initially sued Naftogaz in 2014, making the claim that Kiev had not paid for supplies it had received in 2013 and 2014, and switching the country to a prepayment scheme. Ukraine responded with a counter-suit, demanding a retroactive revision of prices, and that Gazprom compensate Naftogaz for sums it allegedly overpaid.
Last year, Naftogaz's own financial accounting indicated that it had an outstanding debt to Gazprom of nearly $8 billion for the period between 2009-2013, with Gazprom calculating that the figure was actually $26.7 billion only for the years 2012-2014.
The Stockholm arbitration court is expected to make its final decision on the dispute at the end of this month and, according to most analysts, Gazprom stands the better chance of winning, given the solid case it has presented. This in turn has left Naftogaz officials nervously pondering about where they will be able to get the money for the settlement; the company, already paying 20% more for 'European' gas supplies (most of which is really Russian gas resold to Kiev by European companies), is drowning in debt as it is.
On Wednesday, Naftogaz director Vitrenko admitted that in case of a loss to Gazprom in Stockholm, Naftogaz will face bankruptcy, and may be forced to sell off its assets, with the exception of its pipeline infrastructure, which belongs to the state.
There is much more at the link https://sputniknews.com/business/201703241051929822-naftogaz-perilous-fate/