OREANDA-NEWS. The decline in gas prices in Europe from more than $2 thousand per thousand cubic meters to about $1 thousand per thousand cubic meters is explained by typical changes on the stock exchange against the background of constantly updated statistics, said economist Igor Yushkov. He predicted a rapid increase in the prices of natural gas due to the depletion of reserves of underground gas storage facilities in Europe, writes Russian media «Ekonomika Segodnya».

«A quick and sharp change in prices is a normal situation for the exchange. Such processes will continue to occur against the background of negative statements and constantly updated statistics», Yushkov explained.

In his opinion, gas reserves in European storage facilities will be depleted in January 2022, which means that fuel prices will invariably rise. Europe will need to buy gas either from Gazprom or buy fuel on the liquefied natural gas market, Yushkov assures.

«If earlier gas storage facilities in Europe were depleted at the end of February-March, then in 2022 this is likely to happen in January, so after the publication of new statistics, prices will go up again», the economist added.

Earlier, the head of the Ukrainian company Naftogaz, Yuriy Vitrenko, said that Kiev is not able to ensure the supply of gas from alternative sources in order to completely exclude Russia from this process. According to him, at the moment there is no necessary infrastructure for the supply of liquefied natural gas by ships.