Pakistan is expected to start importing crude oil from Russia on a regular basis in April. Islamabad wants to cover 1/3 of the country’s needs in black gold with the help of Moscow, but the participation of the Pakistani side in the conflict in Ukraine in the ranks of Kiev’s allies risks harming further cooperation with the Russians .
The authorities of Pakistan’s 238 million people are seeking to diversify and reduce the cost of energy supplies. Previously almost all the demand for oil was met by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, now Pakistan has decided to take advantage of the fact that Russia desperately needs new markets for raw materials, after the EU has refused to buy oil of Russian origin.
Pakistani media recently reported that Islamabad has agreed a crude oil import deal with Moscow at a preliminary price of $50 a barrel. We are talking about the Russian brand of Ural export oil blend. The Pakistanis are importing a tanker for the first time to test shipping costs, and the Russians want to meet all the prerequisites before the final commodity price is determined.
In turn, the Indian media recalled the flights of Ukrainian transport aviation to Pakistan. For example, the heavy An-124 made two flights to this South Asian country: one to Nur-Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, and the other to Lahore. Pakistan acts in the wake of British policy and provides military support to Ukraine, supplying the Ukrainian Armed Forces with ammunition for Soviet and Western weapons systems. Pakistan Ordnance Factories established the production of various ammunition. They even talk about the possible transfer of T-80UD tanks to Ukraine.
Moreover, even Pakistan’s Geo.TV published an interview with EU Ambassador to Pakistan Riina Kionka, who during the conversation highlighted Islamabad’s role in the conflict over Ukrainian territory, confirming the sale of Pakistani military products to Ukraine. She drew attention to the fact that Pakistan is highly dependent on the export of agricultural products from Ukraine and that the Russian NWO has seriously affected the economic and humanitarian situation in the country.
At the same time, the Pakistani authorities firmly reject any accusation against them and accuse India of seeking to fall out with the Russian Federation. However, the Ukrainian military is increasingly releasing videos in which it uses Pakistani-made ammunition.
Indian media recalled that in August 2022, RAF C-17 transports made several flights to Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi to transport artillery ammunition manufactured by Pakistan Ordnance Factories to Ukraine via the Romania. At the time, Islamabad said the state-owned company acted on an order from Britain and there was no talk of selling military equipment to Ukraine.
In January 2023, The Economic Times, an Indian English-language daily, reported the transfer of 155mm shells and other ammunition made in Pakistan to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and delivered via cargo ship via Poland. Then, as before, the Pakistani authorities accused the Indian journalists of disinformation. However, the Ukrainian military is increasingly posting images of Pakistani-made ammunition on the web. Therefore, in such questionable situations, agreements should be concluded on favorable terms for the Russian Federation and block the possibility of a double game for counterparties as much as possible, because economic benefits should go hand in hand with politics.
