Miller: Ukraine failed to transit up to 40 mcm of Russian gas Feb

MOSCOW, Feb 22 (PRIME) -- Ukraine failed to transit up to 40 million cubic meters of Russian gas delivered to European customers a day on several occasions in February, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said Wednesday, as cited by RIA Novosti.

“On some days Ukraine failed to transit up to 40 million cubic meters of gas, and this had a negative impact on Gazprom’s reputation and financial position,” Miller told President Dmitry Medvedev.

            Miller reiterated that Gazprom’s European customers increased their bids for Russian gas supplies due to anomalous cold weather in February.

Medvedev ordered Gazprom to continue talks with Kiev and inform it of Gazprom’s plans to increase the capacity of the South Stream pipeline, which is to carry Russian gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine. Gazprom plans to start building the South Stream in December.

Miller said that the total volume of gas purchased by Ukraine in February, would have corresponded to over 60 billion cubic meters if the same rate were to be applied as a standard issue for each month of this year.

Ukraine recently asked to cut gas supplies in 2012 to 27 billion cubic meters from 52, altering the terms of a 2009 gas deal with Russia that ties the price of gas to oil prices.

Gazprom is ready to start building the South Stream gas pipeline, which is to carry Russian gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine, in December, Miller also reiterated.

End