Russia Sends Natural-Gas Tankers to Kaliningrad Outpost Behi Russia holds most of the cards when it comes to energy in Europe. But in a territory that it controls behind NATO lines, Moscow is taking extreme measures to shore up supplies as the war in Ukraine rages.
In recent weeks Russia has steamed in three massive sea vessels carrying natural gas close to Kaliningrad, its bolthold on the Baltic Sea wedged between North Atlantic Treaty Organization members Poland and Lithuania. It is an apparent move to maintain fuel supplies to the tiny militarized region in case conflict severs pipeline flows.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has spotlighted the pre-eminent role Russia plays in the world’s energy markets. It is one of the world’s largest producers of oil along with Saudi Arabia and the U.S., and the main supplier of natural gas, used for heating and electricity in the heart of industrial Europe.
Russia’s moves to supply Kaliningrad show both Moscow’s vulnerabilities but also its ability to prepare for conflict and use energy as a tool in its geopolitical arsenal.
The Energy Integrity and Velikiy Novgorod tankers are circling in the Baltic Sea and are expected to deliver gas to Kaliningrad in the coming weeks, according to analysts, vessel-tracking firms and a London-based shipbroker. Russia’s state gas giant Gazprom PJSC is in control of both boats, having taken them out on charter, said the shipbroker and Felix Booth, head of LNG at energy intelligence firm Vortexa.
Gazprom stationed a third vessel, the Marshal Vasilevskiy, off the coast of Kaliningrad in late January. Launched with fanfare by PresidentVladimir Putin in 2019, the vessel is currently storing LNG, Mr. Booth said. It also can act as an import terminal, converting LNG from tankers such as the Integrity and Novgorod into gaseous form.
Between the three vessels, Russia has enough LNG to meet Kaliningrad’s gas needs for four to five weeks, Mr. Booth calculates.