Russian coal does not reach the Ukraine

Yesterday, the Ukraine reported that it didn’t receive Russian coal, required for the country's energy industry, from November 22. Russia doesn’t officially recognize the freezing of the deliveries. But sources of the Kommersant on the market and experts argue that the restrictions were implemented through a system of registration of applications for transportation by Russian Railways and will last at least until the end of November.

Last night, the head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry Yuri Prodan said that, according to available information from DTEK and Tsentrenergo, the coal supplies from Russia to the Ukraine were suspended. Yesterday afternoon the Interfax-Ukraina reported about the problems with the supply, referred to its source, but until the evening representatives of the Ministry of Energy, Russian Railways and market participants denied or didn’t commented on this information.

In mid-November, Ukrainian authorities acknowledged dependence on Russian energy coal for thermal power plants and hydroelectric power stations for this winter. This happened after the delivery of South Africa turned out to be questionable because of the high cost (up to $112 per ton including transportation), and the leaders of the so-called Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics stated that their mines wouldn’t sell coal to Kiev. The shortage of forge coal is estimated at 1 million tons per month.