The move will significantly increase output of a project conceived to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian gas.

While Russian and Soviet leaders generally gave the nod to the ethnic differences with other nations with very different ethnicities, languages or religions in their midst, this did not extend to Ukrainians.

SOCAR said that its marine platforms and industrial facilities continued their activities undisturbed.

The loan programme includes a $177 million loan from the IBRD, a $34 million loan from the Clean Technology Fund and a $1 million CTF grant to make the Ukrainian system more resilient.

Oil exports via the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline increased 16.9 times compared with the first half of 2020.