Russia's Gas Lifeline: The Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod Pipeline

Russia continues to pump natural gas to Europe via the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline through Ukraine. Despite the ongoing conflict, this Soviet-era pipeline remains a critical gas supply route for Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria. However, the future of this transit remains uncertain as the current agreement expires in 2024.

Russia is still sending natural gas to Europe through Ukraine, utilizing the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline built during the Soviet era. This pipeline channels gas from western Siberia, traversing the troubled territory of Ukraine, before dividing in Slovakia to serve Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria.

In 2023, around 14.65 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas was transported via this route, accounting for about half of Russia's gas exports to Europe. EU's gas consumption fell to 295 bcm the same year, highlighting a significant drop. The Sudzha gas metering point, vital for this transit, remains a battleground between Ukrainian and Russian forces.

Historically, Russia supplied close to half of the EU's gas until the Ukraine war in 2022. Since then, Europe has diversified its gas sources, dramatically increasing imports from the United States and Norway. Future prospects are hazy as the 2019 transit agreement between Moscow and Kyiv is set to expire in 2024, with no renewal in sight.