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 government since the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior in 1985." The charges of piracy were dropped in October 2013. In November 2013, twenty-seven of the campaigners were released on bail. Greenpeace has not staged a protest at Prirazlomnaya oil platform since, instead choosing to protest against Western drilling operations due to those countries being considerably more tolerant of their activities. In May 2014, the first shipment of Arctic oil arrived at a refinery in the Netherlands and was purchased by the French company, Total. Gazprom Public Joint Stock Company Gazprom (, "Publichnoe Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Gazprom", abbreviated PAO Gazprom, , )