New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said Gazprom’s production is not falling, but it is even rising, “Gazprom’s production is not falling, or you will scare everyone now, but it is only rising,” he said at a meeting devoted to Kamchatka’s social and economic development after Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that as a program for Kamchatka’s gasification and field development was adopted 15 years ago Novatek started production, but the resource base was not confirmed, which caused a decline in production over the past years. The replacement of gas with fuel oil is out of the question in a region with high tourist potential, he added.
“In specific regions, there are specific issues, such as the one we are discussing now. But it is still necessary to sort things out between the participants in economic activities. The government has to take respective decisions that would meet the interests of the region, and the country overall. Of course, with the interests of economic entities considered, the decisions taken should be based on the interests of the state,” Putin said when commenting on Novak’s proposals on the creation of energy infrastructure.
European leaders have accused Russia of weaponizing energy supplies around the invasion of Ukraine, while Moscow blames western sanctions and technical issues for supply disruption.
(Vinayak)