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 Neft Neft. Acquisition of interest in the Garmian (40%) and Shakal (80%) projects in Kurdistan region in 2012. In 2013 the company entered the Halabja project (80% share) with reserves of 90 mln tonnes of oil. Sibneft was the official sponsor of the CSKA Moscow football team. However, Gazprom Neft cancelled this deal in 2005 after Gazprom bought a majority stake in fellow Russian Premier Division football side, FC Zenit Saint Petersburg. Gazprom Neft also sponsors the Avangard Omsk and SKA ice hockey clubs, and a variety of running, five-a-side football, Nordic skiing and motorcross events. In 2010, Gazprom Neft and