Russia launches gas supplies to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan with Moscow ceremony

Russia has launched supplies of natural gas to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan. The collaboration was commenced at a ceremony in Moscow attended by the presidents of all three nations and broadcast on state TV. 

In an agreement spanning two years with Russia's Gazprom, Uzbekistan, which each year suffers gas shortages, will import 9mn cubic metres of Russian natural gas per day. 

The development marks the first time Uzbekistan, a gas producer and exporter itself, has begun importing gas from Russia.

The daily volume equates to approximately 2.8bn cubic metres annually and will help address gas shortages during the colder seasons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Russia remained open to further such cooperation in the gas export area.

Russia's energy revenues have been impacted by Western sanctions, including price caps and an embargo on seaborne oil exports, brought in due to the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, as well as the disruption of the Nord Stream gas pipelines running from Russia to Europe.