Russia’s Energy Security Situation after the Ukraine Crisis and Complementary Factors in Central Asia

Western economic sanctions have hit Russia hard in the energy sector, where its vital interests are at stake. Russia has been trying to protect its interests by diversifying its energy exports to China, India, and other countries and maintaining prices, but this is not a sufficient alternative. Therefore, Russia wants to solve this problem by connecting with Central Asia, starting with energy supplies to Central Asia and expanding energy supplies to South Asia, including Pakistan and Iran, through this region. The intention is to find new sources of demand and to partially offset the reduction of energy exports to the West. Second, it wants to strengthen energy cooperation with Central Asia to better position itself and its interests in the future integration of the EAEU energy and electricity markets. It seeks to curb the participation of Kazakh companies in the future integrated EAEU gas market and consolidate its position as a monopoly energy supplier in the EAEU common energy market.