“NEW” UKRAINE: ENERGY ZUGZWANG?

Abstract

The investment projects in the sphere of the fuel and energy complex that are being implemented in Ukraine in 2010-2013 within the state program of the energy efficiency increase, energy supply, increase of the production of the renewable energy sources could attract into Ukraine not only the investments, new world technologies but also would allow considerable increasing of mining its own resources by means of reinforcing the energy independence of the country. In 2014-2016 the energy reform in the “new” (post maidan) Ukraine was rather simulated together with the profanation of the idea of the investment attraction into the national fuel and energy complex. Every following action of the Ukrainian government in this direction only worsens the situation (energy Zugzwang). Today the country actually lacks effective state policy in the sphere of oil processing. “The energy strategy of Ukraine till 2030” pays little attention to the problems of oil production and refining; there is no real state control over the implementation of investment obligations by owners of oil refineries; the control system of quality of oil products is actually destroyed; there are no incentives to reconstruction and modernization. The condition of the energy system of the country must not be determined only by political motives of its government as it may lead to irreversible strategic consequences. The article deals with the reference points of the correction of Ukraine’s energy strategy, but it is highlighted that their realization is impossible without the freezing of military activity, the removal of the Donbas siege and the implementation of the Minsk accords.

Keywords

• fuel and energy complex
• Ukraine
• Donbass
• energy consumption
• energy saving
• energy strategy
• crisis
• losses
• strategy