Ukraine in 2018-2019 expects gas transit through its gas transportation system (GTS) in an annual volume of 50-80 billion cubic meters (bcm), but in future this figure could drop to 15-40 billion cubic meters per year and lower because of Russia's developing projects for building bypass gas pipelines.

Such a forecast is contained in the Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2035 "Safety, Energy Efficiency, Competitiveness," approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

"The successful results of promotion of initiatives to increase dependence on Russian gas supplies to Europe, the obtained permits for construction of gas pipelines, contracts signed with subcontractors, the announced plans for partial dismantling the Russian GTS at the entrance to Ukraine do not allow to predict the preservation of volumes of Russian gas transit through the Ukrainian GTS at the current level," the document says.

Developers of the strategy noted today there are no documented confirmations of gas transit through the Ukrainian GTS after 2019 due to the termination of the relevant contract between Naftogaz Ukrainy and Gazprom.