Ukraine

Well, to me anyway....

In 2004, Ukraine was the fifth-largest importer of natural gas in the world. Belarus was the tenth-largest. In 2005, Belarus had dropped out of the top-10, not because it had reduced its consumption (net imports had increased), but because some countries, like the Netherlands, had increased their import requirements more dramatically. Ukraine remained fifth, and had increased its imports of gas by nearly 15%. Together, they absorbed nearly 40% of Russia's exports, and nearly 10% of all the exports of gas in the world.

Ukraine has the 25th largest population in the world. Belarus has the 81st.

Ukraine's economy is the 53rd largest in the world, Belarus's is the 69th (according to the IMF).

In terms of GDP per capita (a reasonable measure of relative prosperity), Belarus ranks 110, Ukraine 120.

How do these countries afford to import so much gas? Are they using it productively?

We should be concerned about Russia using its energy resources to apply political leverage. But with regard to the former Soviet Bloc, is it possible that President Putin has a point when he claims that gas to his neighbours is underpriced?