Revamped Soviet-Era Pipelines To Ship Russian Gas To Uzbekistan

On April 27, at the Tashkent Investment Forum, Uzbekistani Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov announced that Russia would begin supplying his country with natural gas via its Soviet-era pipelines (TASS, April 28; The Diplomat, May 9). In truth, Moscow is on the hunt for new customers after its gas deliveries to Europe have been slashed by Western sanctions coming as a result of the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine. Russia used to deliver roughly 140 billion cubic meters (bcm) to Europe annually, its most lucrative export market; however,…