Last week, with a reference to a high ranking source in the Russian Energy industry, Reuters reported that Russian oil supplies to Belarus were cut by about 40% not due to economic, but political reasons, in particular, due to rapprochement between Minsk and the West. Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dvorkovich explained the possible reduction in oil supplies by overdue payments by Minsk for the supplied Russian gas. Yet the Belarusian government has not publicly responded to such significant cuts in oil supplies, regardless of possible substantial budgetary losses. It is worth noting that tension is growing between Belarus and Russia over economic issues. Along with the cuts in oil supply, tension is growing in the gas sector and dairy supplies. Economic tensions between Belarus and Russia are likely to be due to the redistribution of resources amid reduced subsidies from Russia and restrictions on Belarusian products on the Russian market.
