The Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine claims that the alternative to anthracite coal supply from uncontrolled territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions is either the beginning of import of Russian coal or start of oil-gas blocks of thermal power station. Ihor Nasalyk has claimed about it, Ukrainian News has reported.

According to minister words at the moment it’s impossible to take coal from South African Republic, because it’s contracted through April and it connects with global processes also with NPP stop.

‘That’s why we cross out SAR and Australia, there’re only 2 ways out – either Russia by import or Russian gas to oil-gas blocks’, Nasalyk noted.

Speaking of the required quantity of coal for the power system in Ukraine, the minister assured 1.2 mln. tons of anthracite coal are needed per month. Stocks in warehouses as of February 13 are up to 842 thousands of tons. At the same time there are on 120 thousands of tons more than it was envisaged by the plans of ministry in thermal power stations and thermoelectric plants

In its turn, the Deputy Minister for the Occupied Territories George Tuka has claimed that railway road blockade initiators are out of legislative field. The police of Donetsk region has the same opinion and it opened 4 criminal proceedings by a fact of blocking of railway connections.

We would remind that the Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Ihor Nasalyk claims that Ukraine could lose addiction from anthracite coal, mined in occupied zone, only after 2 – 2.5 years.