Ukraine using solely own extraction gas and gas pumped into Ukraine underground storage facilities for own consumers - President Yushchenko

Viktor Yushchenko

Ukraine is using for own consumers solely own extraction gas and gas pumped into the Ukrainian underground storage facilities being fully paid by Ukraine. This is said in telegrams Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has sent to leadership of the European Union as well as heads of European states that consume the Russian natural gas.

"I consider it necessary to inform you that as of morning January 6, 2009, JSC Gazprom has sharply cut gas supply to Ukraine for its further transit to European consumers," the telegram reads.

Yushchenko notes that "as of 23.00 p.m., January 5, 2009, a total of 262 million cu m of the Russian natural gas were delivered to Ukraine's east border, as of 09.00 a.m., January 6 - 93 million cu m, and as of 11.30 a.m., January 6 - 73 million cu m".

Hence, in Yushchenko's opinion, the Russian party intends to significantly reduce or halt the Russian gas transit via Ukraine's territory to European consumers.

"I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that Ukraine is using for own consumers solely own extraction gas and gas pumped into the Ukrainian underground storage facilities Ukraine had fully paid for," the Head of State underscored.

UKRINFORM