Ukraine has found a way to get gas from Russia without signing contracts with Gazprom. In Kiev, used the electronic trading platform (ETP), which in September started selling "Gazprom export". As it turned out, Slovakia became the main buyer of Russian gas volumes exposed to the ETP.. Her virtual hub (virtual trading point, VTP) has already sold 368 million cubic meters, reports Kommersant. Sales at VTP specifically mean that gas is not intended to be shipped to Europe.. But Slovakia itself does not need much for domestic consumption..

Most likely, all this gas will go on the reverse scheme to Ukraine.

Naftogaz is currently pumping 23-24 million cubic meters of gas per day from Slovakia, and the pipe allows an increase in capacity to 41 million cubic meters per day. At the same time, European traders do not remain in the loser. They resell gas to Ukrainians at the price of a German NCG hub plus charge for transporting raw materials, sources said. From November 1, Ukraine’s population will pay almost a quarter more for gas.