One of our principal aims at Popular Logistics is to persuade or remind our readers how unpalatable we’d find any sudden interruption in power supply. Accidental or otherwise. Here’s an example of “energy extortion:” Gazprom (read: Russia qua Gazprom) holds Ukraine hostage:

Russia’s natural gas monopoly Gazprom on Tuesday threatened to further cut gas to Ukraine within hours unless agreement was reached on a debt dispute and contracts for future deliveries.

Gazprom on Monday cut shipments to Ukraine by about a third and spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said another 25-percent reduction would be imposed unless an agreement was signed.

Much of the Russian gas consumed in Western Europe comes through pipelines that cross Ukraine, and the dispute has raised concerns that supplies to the West might be affected.

Kupriyanov on Tuesday repeated Gazprom’s assurances that shipments transiting Ukraine would not be affected. But a three-day Gazprom cutoff to Ukraine in 2006 resulted in a reduction of deliveries downstream.

“Russia Threatens Further Gas Cuts to Ukraine,” The New York Times

(Associated Press). March 4, 2008.