Energy policy of Russia and in a few cases explicit political demands are evident. Starting 1 January 2007 Gazprom increased the price of natural gas to Azerbaijan from US$110 to $235 per thousand cubic metres. (At the time, Gazprom charged the EU US$250.) Azerbaijan refused to pay this price and the gas supply to Azerbaijan stopped. On its side, Azerbaijan stopped oil exports to and via Russia. A year earlier, pro-Russian Armenia was hit with the same 100% price increase as Western-oriented Georgia, Vladimir Socor has observed. The Russia-Belarus energy dispute began when Russian state-owned gas supplier Gazprom demanded an increase in gas prices
Gazprom Board of Directors as of 9 August 2015: Former members of the board: Gazprom's management committee as of December 2006: Former members of the management committee: On 5 September 2005, shares of the members of the Board of Directors and Management Committee were: Others have no share. Gazprom is the owner and sponsor of the Russian Premier League football club FC Zenit Saint Petersburg and volleyball club VC Zenit-Kazan and Gazprom-Ugra Surgut at Russian Super League. On 1 January 2007, Gazprom also became the sponsor of the German Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 at a cost of up to €25