Gazprom December 2006, Gazprom threatened to cease supply of gas to Belarus at 10 am Moscow time on 1 January 2007, unless Belarus increased payments from $47 to $200 per 1,000 cubic metres or to cede control over its distribution network. Some analysts suggested Moscow was penalising Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, for not delivering on pledges of closer integration with Russia, while others noted that other countries like Armenia were paying as much for their gas as Belarus would with the new price levels. Gazprom later requested a price of $105, yet Belarus still refused the agreement. Belarus responded
Energy in Armenia diesel fuel a day to Armenia through the pipeline; Armenia’s annual demand for refined oil products stands at around 400,000 metric tons. Natural gas represents a large portion of total energy consumption in Armenia, accounting for 50% and is the primary means of winter heating in the country. Gazprom Armenia (owned by the Russian gas giant Gazprom) owns the natural gas pipeline network within Armenia and holds a monopoly over the import and distribution of natural gas to consumers and businesses. Armenia's thermal power stations (which supply approximately 24% of Armenia's electricity needs) run on natural gas, making Armenia (at