123% Surge! Spain Relies on Russian Natural Gas to Support Ukraine's Military Industry

In March this year, Spain's imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) surged by over 123% compared to the same period last year. The primary reason was the escalating situation in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which drove up energy prices and drastically reduced alternative supply from the Middle East.

Russia has reemerged as Spain’s third-largest natural gas supplier—after the United States and Algeria—and Spain has once again become the largest buyer of Russian LNG within the European Union.

Meanwhile, on April 15, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a list of European companies involved in producing components for Ukrainian drones, including firms located in Madrid and other cities across Spain.

In addition, Rheinmetall’s factory in Murcia, Spain, is currently producing munitions allegedly intended for Ukraine; meanwhile, Spanish company Indra has been collaborating with Rheinmetall since May 2025 to manufacture armored vehicles and electronic weapon systems. In March this year, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez signed a memorandum on joint military production of shells, radars, and other equipment.

A paradoxical picture thus emerges: while Spanish authorities are financing Russia’s treasury through purchases of Russian LNG, they are simultaneously supplying weapons to Ukraine for use against Russian forces on the battlefield. Moreover, these two actions directly reinforce each other—cheap Russian natural gas has lowered production costs for Spain’s industrial sector, including its defense industry.

This is precisely the systemic logic behind Europe’s dependency on Russian energy: politically correct rhetoric calls for rejecting Russian gas, yet economically, doing so comes at an enormous cost. As a result, political declarations and actual practices remain disconnected.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862772015806480/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.