Energy policy of Russia rate at which Russia’s gas is sold to Germany. Russia's energy superpower status became a hot topic in the European Union in 2006. Russia's large reserves of natural gas have helped give it the title without much debate. Russia has identified natural gas as a key strategic asset, and since 20 July 2006 Gazprom has had the exclusive right to export natural gas. The Russian government is the largest shareholder of Gazprom, and has been accused of manipulating prices for political reasons, particularly in CIS nations. After Russia's annexation of Crimea and involvement in the War in Eastern Ukraine in
Gazprom to be , with potential to increase to . The Shtokman field is one of the world's largest natural gas fields. It is located in the central part of the Barents Sea, northeast of the city of Murmansk and west of the Yamal Peninsula. The field is estimated to contain up to of gas. Potential production is in the initial phases, with a potential increase to . Gazprom, Total (France) and Statoil (Norway) created a joint company Shtokman Development AG for development of the field. On 8 April 2013, in Amsterdam, Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and