Accessibility links

Breaking News

Ukraine Pays $15 Million Toward Russian Gas Bill


FILE - A general view shows the headquarters of Gazprom, with a board of Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Gazprom seen in the foreground, in Moscow.
FILE - A general view shows the headquarters of Gazprom, with a board of Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Gazprom seen in the foreground, in Moscow.

Russian natural gas exporter Gazprom said on Thursday that it had received a $15 million prepayment from Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz following warnings supply could be cut off if no payment was made.

The payment is enough for 45.6 million cubic meters of gas, or about five days' supply at current rates of delivery, Gazprom said by email.

Gazprom had warned supply to Kyiv could be cut off as soon as Friday if no payment was made.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he did not want a repeat of pay disputes that have seen the Russians cut off supply to Ukraine three times in the last decade.

Once Gazprom's largest export market, Ukraine has managed to reduce its reliance on direct gas imports from Russia in recent years.

Its imports from Russia in January and February fell by half from a year earlier, according to gas transit monopoly Ukrtransgaz.

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to discuss a new gas deal before a current pact ends at the end of March.

  • 16x9 Image

    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

XS
SM
MD
LG