During a videoconference tied to Gazprom’s 30th anniversary, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed attendees while Alexei Miller, the chief executive in St. Petersburg, appeared on screen wearing a fur hat tilted to one side. Putin referenced his colleague directly, drawing a moment of light-hearted attention to Miller’s appearance and character as the two prepared to engage with the audience.
Putting a playful note on Miller’s attire, Putin teased that Miller had worn a hat reminiscent of a cunning thief from a well-known tale, suggesting they might join a solemn or playful exchange to reveal how they work with younger generations. The remark hinted at Miller’s approach to leadership and mentoring, inviting a closer look at how Gazprom’s leadership interacts with staff and communities.
Putin inquired whether Miller felt the cold, noting that St. Petersburg’s weather had turned chilly for the gathering. Miller confirmed the cold, describing a wind coming off the Gulf of Finland as the outdoor temperature hovered around minus five degrees.
In a congratulatory message, Putin highlighted Gazprom’s global recognition and its status as a leading Russian company in natural gas reserves, production, and supply. He expressed his pleasure in extending congratulations to Gazprom employees and the roughly half a million people connected to the company on an important milestone.
development vector
Putin recalled Gazprom’s origin during a difficult era for Russia and asserted that preserving a single, integrated complex proved strategically sound. He emphasized Gazprom’s role in attracting and supporting regional social spheres and many other sectors, calling it a driver of economic recovery and growth.
The president noted Gazprom’s continued commitment to responsibility, efficiency, and sustainability, even in the face of what he described as unfair competition and efforts to constrain its development. He pointed to ongoing projects spanning geological exploration, production, and deep processing of raw materials, as well as participation in infrastructure initiatives such as the Northern Transverse Railroad and other transport networks.
Putin also underscored Gazprom’s social orientation, citing investments in housing, schools, medical facilities, and urban improvements. Over the past 15 years, the Gazprom for Children program has helped build more than 2,000 sports complexes, playgrounds, and school stadiums across the country.
The president highlighted anticipated growth in global gas consumption, noting a near doubling over the past three decades and projecting another significant rise over the next two decades. He expressed confidence that gas demand would be especially strong in the Asia-Pacific region, with China identified as a principal market. In this context, he described the expansion of the vast gas complex in the East as strategically vital for Russia. He cited the Yakutsk and Irkutsk gas production centers, the Amur gas processing plant under construction, and the Power of Siberia pipeline, which has expanded capacity following the Kovykta field’s developments last December.
Additionally, Putin acknowledged Gazprom’s aim to deepen international cooperation and secure new export markets, while balancing the need to advance domestic development and improve people’s quality of life across regions. He framed the company’s logistics and market diversification as essential steps in sustaining Russia’s energy role on the global stage.
Among Gazprom’s most important initiatives, Putin highlighted social gasification, which extended gas networks to private plots and, over time, to socially significant facilities, educational and health institutions. He noted that this program has been made effectively indefinite and is expanding beyond housing to broader social infrastructure. He described Gazprom’s gas reserves as exceptionally large, underscoring their distinction relative to other nations’ reserves.
Exemption from increased income tax
Recently, a law was enacted exempting Gazprom and its subsidiaries from higher income taxes for liquefied natural gas exporters. The measure applies to legal relationships beginning January 1, 2023.
The legislation also extends deadlines related to modernizing oil refining capacity, a move tied to the need to apply reverse excise duties on petroleum feedstocks. Analysts note that sanctions on technology exports to Russia have compelled adjustments when foreign suppliers cannot provide needed equipment, necessitating new sourcing strategies.
Previously, in November 2022, a law raised the income tax rate from 20% to 34% for LNG exporters who had exported at least one LNG batch by the end of the prior year. Through 2025, the higher tax applies to users of federal subterranean lands with licenses issued for LNG plant construction as of January 1, 2013.