Russia against removal from oil market
Warrnss oiill prriicess wiilll sskkyrrockkett tto $300 perr barrrell
Removing Russian oil from the market would make energy prices skyrocket to over $300 per barrel of oil, Russia’s deputy Prime Minister, Aleksandr Novak has said, adding that Russia is not dependent on the West and can ‘reroute’ its supplies elsewhere.
The European officials are “once again seeking to put all the blame for their own recent energy policy shortfalls on Russia,” Novak told journalists, adding that “Russia has nothing to do with the current price hike on market volatility,” RT reported.
Russia has been a ‘reliable partner’ for Europe for many decades, Novak said, adding that Moscow has been supplying the European nations with roughly 40percent of their gas needs. The deputy prime minister made his comments after gas prices in Europe hit record highs of almost $3,900 per 1,000 cubic meters while the price of Brent crude oil surpassed $130 per barrel for the first time in a decade.
The deputy prime minister also slammed Germany’s decision to freeze certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project and argued that Moscow has a ‘full right’ to stop supplying gas via Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which has not been targeted by Western sanctions.
Ukraine says Russian air strikes sparked oil depot fires
Two fires broke out at oil depots in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine on Monday, with the country’s State Emergency Services saying they were caused by two Russian air strikes.
Russia is not that dependent on the West and ‘knows where to reroute’ its supplies if needed. Still, Moscow will not take reciprocal measures against Europe in this case, he added.