Russia’s plan to bypass Ukraine to supply gas to southeast Europe is advancing.

Russia’s plan to bypass Ukraine to supply gas to southeast Europe is advancing. Russian pipe maker TMK plans to bid on a Bulgartransgaz tender to build a pipeline north from Turkey, Reuters reports from Moscow. Last November, work was completed on the 1,090 km TurkStream pipeline, which runs from Anapa, Russia, to Kıyıköy, a Black Sea town in Turkey’s European section. Now Russia’s Gazprom must choose from two possible routes for TurkStream: via Bulgaria, 50 km to the north, or through Greece, 150 km east. Next week, Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev flies to Sofia to sign energy documents.