Russian-Ukrainian 'gas war' different [View all]

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http://atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/CEN-02-180614.html



Russian-Ukrainian 'gas war' different
By Claire Bigg
Jun 18, '14

Russia has halted gas supplies to Ukraine - a major escalation of a dispute in which Russia's state-owned gas giant Gazprom is demanding that Kiev settle its huge gas debt. But in many ways, what many have dubbed the third "gas war" between the two countries is different than previous disputes in 2006 and 2009. Here's why.

This gas row is a lot more political: The gas conflict is taking place against the backdrop of deadly fighting in eastern Ukraine between government troops and separatist insurgents widely believed to be supported by Moscow.

Relations between Moscow and Kiev are at rock bottom; there have been suggestions on both sides to sever diplomatic ties.

"It's about the existence of Ukraine, the nature of Ukraine, its integrity," says John Mitchell, an energy expert at the British think tank Chatham House. "These were not so much in question in the previous crises, which were more concerned with purely gas matters." More ...