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Western regions account for Ukraineâ€™s growing gas debt

06 February 2014 20:31 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Ukraine’s debt for gas it imports from Russia is growing because western regions fail to transfer payments for its consumption, Acting Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Boiko, who is in charge of the fuel and energy sector, told a briefing on Thursday, APA reports quoting Itar-Tass.

A debt to Russia stands “at four billion hrivnias (500 million dollars), and it emerged because western regions of the country have halted payments,” he said. “We don’t see payments from the regions where the power has been liquidated and where the so-called ‘People’s Radas (or councils) rule. However, regional leaders must bear in mind that time will come when they will have to pay for gas,” Boiko added.

During riots in some regions of Western Ukraine protesters seized state administrations, setting up illegal “People’s Radas” - in parallel with regional councils and regional state administrations.

In January, Ukraine received from Russia’s Gazprom gas giant 2.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas worth almost 650 million dollars. At the same time, Ukraine’s debt for supplies of Russian gas last year amounts to 2.7 billion dollars.