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
Kovykta field the field to state-owned Rosneftegaz, but failed. On 1 March 2011, Gazprom bought Rusia Petroleum's assets, including rights for the Kovykta field, for $711 million. The reserves of Kovykta amount to 2 trillion cubic meters of natural gas and more than 83 million tons of gas condensate. The period of active gas production in the Kovykta field is expected to be 30 years, and the period of field development about 50 years. The field was developed by Rusia Petroleum, 62.9% of which is owned by TNK-BP. 24.99% is owned by the power generating company OGK-3. The Kovykta field is considered