Russia calculates how much it spent to support Lukashenka’s regime

Russia estimates approximate losses due to gas supplies to Belarus in 2004–2008 at $15–16 billion.

PRIME TASS has learnt this from a source close to the Russian government.

He said how Russia estimates the losses. Annual average gas supplies to Belarus were 20 billion cubic meters a year in the recent years. “Belarus bought this volume of gas but didn’t pay export duties, 30 per cent of price, set up by Russia,” the source noted.

He added that pricing was based not on market conditions but on acceptable for the both parties conditions. As the result, the difference with neighbouring Poland in delivery prices was $200 per 1000 cubic meters in recent years.

For example, Russia sold gas to Belarus at $47.8 per 1000 cubic meters and to Poland at $124.8 per 1000 cubic meters (average European price) in 2004. So, the difference in prices was $77 per 1000 cubic meters. In 2008, the difference increased considerably – gas price for Belarus was $126 per 1000 cubic meters, for Poland – $417.3 per 1000 cubic meters.

“Russia’s losses due to gas supplies to Belarus on beneficial prices in 2004–2008 are about $15–16 billion. These losses were calculated on the basis of volume of gas supply to Belarus during the last 4 years taking into account the difference in prices with Poland, a neighbour of Belarus,” the source concluded.

He set data on year 2008 as an example. Belarus bought 21.060722 billion tons of Russian gas in 2008. Compared with Poland, the difference in prices was $290.5 per 1000 cubic meters. So, the sum of Russia’s aid to Belarus was about $6.1 billion.