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Ukraine reduces gas purchase from Russia by 2 times

30 December 2011 09:30 (UTC +04:00)

Baku - APA-Economics. Ukraine will likely reduce import of Russian natural gas to 27 billion cubic meters in 2012, Yurii Boiko, minister of fuel and energy of Ukraine, said on the TV Channel 5.

"We will halve Russian gas purchase as of January 1. We have warned our Russian partners that Ukraine’s national economy can’t withstand the price commanded, and hence, we’ll be transferring to our own energy resources," the minister noted.

"The Naftohaz Ukrainy national joint stock company has applied for import of 27 billion cubic meters in 2012, and from January 1 we’ll be pumping it," the minister added.

The planned reduction is prompted by a rise in Russian gas prices, according to the minister.

"We told the Russian partners about a cut in volumes. If the gas becomes cheaper, we’ll buy more. If not, we’ll buy as much as we have enough money, and fill in our energy balance by own resources," Boiko emphasized.

As alternative fuel Ukraine may use coal whose mining reached a record 81 million tons in 2011.

As Ukrainian News reported, the Naftohaz Ukrainy national joint stock company imported 35,042,751,400 cubic meters of gas for USD 10,384,346,900 in October-November 2011.

Ukraine imported about 37.4 billion cubic meters of gas in the first 11 months.

Thus, Naftohaz Ukrainy fulfilled the obligations to the Gazprom on pumping the minimum contracted gas volume in 2011, that is 33.3 billion cubic meter.