Ukraine is planning to import 18 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia in 2013, almost half of the gas it imported from Russia last year.

The projected amount of gas imports from Russia is 54.5 percent of the gas Ukraine bought last year from Russia and only a third of the amount set under the current supply contract between Kiev and Moscow.

Apart form Russia, Ukraine is planning to buy 1.3 billion cubic meters of gas from Germany and 8 billion cubic meters from Cyprus this year, the decree said.

Ukraine has long been seeking to reduce gas imports from Russia, while Russia insists on sticking to the 52 billion cubic meters level set in a bilateral agreement.

In late February, Russia demanded that Ukraine pay 7 billion U.S. dollars for failing to import the contracted amount of gas.

Last year, Ukraine's gas imports went down 27 percent from 2011. Endi

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)