Ukraine says available gas reserves enough for 2016–2017 winter

KIEV, Dec 19 (PRIME) -- The gas reserves available in Ukraine are enough to go through the 2016–2017 winter season, energy holding Naftogaz Ukrainy said in a statement on December 16.

“Naftogaz deems the amount of gas available to Ukraine enough for secure gas supplies to Ukrainian consumers during the entire heating season,” the company said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier said that the low volume of reserves in Ukraine’s underground storage facilities causes concerns in Russia. Gas giant Gazprom CEO said that Russian gas supplies to Europe will run a risk if Ukraine does not start to purchase gas from Russia to boost the reserves.

Naftogaz Ukrainy said that is sees the statement by Miller as a preparation of a new gas crisis in January–February 2017.

Ukraine asked the European Commission to send a monitoring mission to control Russian gas traffic on the borders, the company said. “In order to prevent a possible crisis, the Ukrainian side has turned to the European Commission with a proposal to immediately send a monitoring mission to the points of entry and exit of Russian gas in the Ukrainian gas transportation system for an independent control of the situation.”

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