Russian coal producers apply for permission to supply Ukraine
Several Russian coal producers have applied for authorization to export to Ukraine, said Russian Deputy Energy Minister Anatoly Yanovsky, as cited by RIA Novosti.
“There are many that want to. Those who want to have all applied,” he said, when asked about Russian companies applying to supply coal to Ukraine as of 1 June. Yanovsky did not specify how much coal was being offered, but did observe that it is more than before.
At the end of last year, the Ukrainian government extended until the end of 2019 the ban that has been in force since 2016 on importing certain goods from Russia – produce, personal hygiene products, railway equipment etc. In response, Russia expanded the list of goods that cannot be imported from Ukraine, including beer, wine, chocolate, road metal and cardboard.
In April, Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers expanded the list of prohibited Russian products to include glassware, formalin and springs for freight wagons. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev subsequently announced new restrictions on trade with Ukraine – oil, oil products and coal could be exported to Ukraine only with authorization from the Ministry of Economic Development.
Citing data from the Russian Federal Customs Service, RBC reported that the direct ban on exports to Ukraine affected around 1.2% of Russia’s exports. In 2018, Russia exported a total of $9.5 billion worth of goods to Ukraine, meaning that around $118.4 million falls under the prohibited categories.