Russia to Supply Gas to Crimea

Russia will start supplying natural gas to Crimea in cthe oming days, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday. "In the next two or three days we will announce the completion of works and that the supplies of gas have begun," Putin said at a year-end press-conference, Reuters reported. Russia is completing a gas pipeline that would connect the peninsula annexed by Moscow from Ukraine in 2014 with Russia's mainland. "I want to inform you that Chernomorneftegaz has completed the work aimed at attaching Crimean gas pipeline network to the Russian main gas pipelines. In the next two-three days we will announce that the work is completed and will start supplying Russian gas to Crimea," Putin said. The integration of Crimea and Sevastopol is progressing well, as evidenced by high rates of industrial production growth and low unemployment, Putin added.