Two weeks ago, Russian media reported with reference to unofficial sources that Russia could stop gas production at Odessa deposit on the Crimean shelf this year. According to anonymous federal officials, this will be done in order to remove the reasons for claims from Ukraine, which filed a lawsuit against Russia in the United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

According to Mykhailo Gonchar's opinion, who is the president of the Centre for Global Studies "Strategy XXI", the stoppage of gas production by Russia will not remove the claims from Ukraine, since it is an issue of stealing the integral economic complex of Chernomorneftegaz. "We need to return production platforms, drilling rigs - the entire complex of Chernomorneftegaz," the expert said.

At the same time, he believes that the cessation of gas production is caused not by Russia's attempts to escape responsibility in the court, but by the fact that it is increasingly difficult for Russia to extract this gas. "They cannot extract more, because they need to invest money and other resources in production, and where to get them?" Gazprom and Rosneft will not enter there because they will get under sanctions. No business entities can give money without risk of getting under the sanctions regime, although not so much money are needed there, but the Russians cannot put a cent there", - Gonchar explained. Therefore, in his opinion, Russia's statements on the cessation of production are an attempt to use its quite predictable technological and financial difficulties for a certain game - they say, we stop production, and you withdraw the claims. "But it's not going to be so", says Mykhailo Gonchar.