Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 15 / Trend /
Russia intentionally prevented gas transits to the EU via Ukraine, the Ukrainian Embassy in Azerbaijan said in a message on Jan. 15.
Under the Gazprom-proposed terms for 2009, Ukraine's Naftogaz must guarantee that 110.557 billion cubic meters of Russian gas are transited to the EU.
Gazprom said 25.493 billion cubic meters must be supplied in the first quarter of 2009. The daily volume of Gazprom gas entering Ukraine's gas transmission system is 283.25 million cubic meters.
However, 21 million cubic meters must be supplied to Ukraine daily to allow the country's gas pumping units and compressor stations to function. Consequently, the daily volume of gas entering the system must be no less than 304.25 million cubic meters.
Further developments give cause for serious doubt about Russia's willingness to meet the requirements of the memorandum signed with the European Commission and Ukraine to resume the gas supplies, the message said.
The Ukrainian natural gas transporter Ukrtransgaz received a fax from Gazprom on Jan. 13 at 00:58. The message said that gas supplies - 76.6 million cubic meters per day - will resume via the Sudzha pumping station near the Ukrainian border at 09:00 on Jan. 13. Gas transfers to consumers in the Balkan region and Moldova were suggested through the Orlivka station, the message said.
Naftogaz said the operators of the two adjacent gas transportation systems have not agreed upon the volume of gas or transit directions in a timely manner. This prevents the pipelines from functioning accordingly, the embassy said.