Over at Siberian Light, Andy adds some needed perspective on the Russia-Belarus oil spat by adding some actual numbers.

As in the previous Ukraine gas row, the figures don’t support the media hype at all.

Since Andy has covered oil, let’s recap on the gas. Many European countries do not actually import gas from Russia, and Russian gas only makes up 19% of EU consumption.

The countries that import most gas, in volume, (France, Germany, Italy) are also those that have the biggest storage facilities, the most diversity of supplies, and the most connections to other countries.

Something else totally overlooked by the media is that the Ukraine and Belarus are not only energy transit countries to Europe, but also to Russia. The gas industry developed historically in the Ukraine and Russian gas transits through the Ukraine to destinations in Southern Russia.

Meanwhile, Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad receives oil and gas which transits via Belarus, Ukraine and a bunch of other countries too. Poland, Lithuania and Belarus have all threatened to isolate Kaliningrad in different ways - road, rail and energy - while the EU has already cut off Russia with a visa blockade.

Once you understand that, you might realise that the issue is neither one-sided nor a case of bullying, but of several parties to the disputes all playing hardball. And those parties used to making personal fortunes from reselling energy subsidised by Russia are shouting the loudest. As another blogger said of the Ukraine dispute, ‘It won’t be over until the fat oligarch squeals’.

If Russia had reliable transit partners - particularly Poland and Belarus - and any co-operation from the EU, it wouldn’t be massively investing in pipelines under the Baltic to re-supply Gernany and Kaliningrad.

The current media hype is also comprehensively de-bunked by Jerome at European Tribune.