Russia resumes coal shipments in Ukraine

The Russian Federation has resumed shipments of coal to Ukraine after the relevant decision was approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian news agency TASS reported with reference to Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

"Yesterday the president instructed to resume shipments. Shipments of coking coal have already started. Coking coal will be dispatched to Ukrainian enterprises specializing in production of the relevant goods," Novak said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Russian government to resume coal shipments to Ukraine in response to the resumption of power flows to Crimea by Kyiv authorities.

The Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine is developing a new contract which will regulate power supplies to Crimea, while also defining the legal status of the peninsula in the document.

On November 29, state company Ukrenergo restored 220 kV Kakhovska-Titan power line and declared its readiness to resume power supplies to the annexed Crimea within a few hours after reaching an agreement with the activists of the Crimea blockade. However, such agreement was not reached.

On December 6, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Refat Chubarov said that the activists of the Crimea blockade had allowed a partial resumption of power supplies to the peninsula via 220 kV Kakhovska-Titan power line.

On December 8, Ukrenergo launched one of the four transmission lines in the direction of Crimea.