Russian gas grip on EU tightens despite ban, but Ukraine has power to sever ties
Illustrative photo: gas pipeline (Getty Images)
The European Union continues to import significant volumes of Russian gas despite its course toward complete abandonment. At the same time, Ukraine could potentially strike Russian gas exports, according to NTV.
It is noted that this year European countries continue to purchase Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). Moreover, in the first quarter, imports of Russian LNG to Europe reached a record level since the beginning of the full-scale war.
According to Kpler and Urgewald, in the first half of 2026, the Russian Yamal LNG plant sent 136 tankers (!) to Europe, which accounted for about 97% of all its shipments.
The main buyers of Russian LNG in Europe were France, Spain, and Belgium.
At the same time, the EU has already decided to gradually abandon Russian gas. Imports of Russian LNG under long-term contracts are to be terminated from January 1, 2027, and Russian LNG must completely disappear from the EU market by the end of 2027.
How Ukraine could stop Russian gas exports
Russian LNG has an important vulnerability - special Arc7 ice-class tankers are required to transport it from the Yamal Peninsula.
The fleet serving Yamal LNG consists of only 15 such vessels. Therefore, according to NTV's assessment, strikes on tankers could potentially seriously complicate Russian gas exports.
At the same time, the publication warns that such a scenario could create diplomatic problems for Ukraine. The vessels have Western owners, including Greek, British, and Japanese. Therefore, their attack could cause a negative reaction from Western states.
Another option is strikes on Russian LNG terminals. According to the publication, Russia currently has five such facilities.
Two of them - Vysotsk and Portovaya on the Baltic Sea - are within the potential reach of Ukrainian drones. At the same time, large facilities on the Yamal Peninsula are located much farther away.
Ukraine has already demonstrated the ability to strike targets at distances of over 2,000 km. Further increasing the range of Ukrainian drones could potentially allow them to reach remote Russian energy facilities.
How much Russia earns from gas
According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Russia receives significant revenues from oil and gas exports to Europe.
At the same time, the European Union continues to reduce its dependence on Russian energy resources. According to Eurostat data...
Controlled exports of part of Ukraine's gas could provide producing companies with additional funds to restore facilities damaged by Russia and to make new investments in extraction.
