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Today's paper. Last Updated: 06/01/2012

Russia Cuts Gas to Kiev

KIEV -- Russia has halved gas exports to Ukraine, but President Leonid Kuchma pinned the blame Monday not on Moscow but on incompetent officials in Kiev.


Ukrainian gas officials, meanwhile, admitted some in their country are compensating by siphoning gas from Russian pipelines leading to other parts of Europe.


The gas cut, the latest in a long-running dispute over fuel prices between Moscow and Kiev, is an embarrassment to Kuchma, who is trying to persuade Yeltsin to visit Kiev for a summit.


Kuchma, speaking to reporters in Kiev for the first time since returning from a state visit to the United States, said he had spoken with President Boris Yeltsin by telephone and was assured of Yeltsin's "understanding."


Kuchma said Friday that Russia cut gas to Ukraine from 120,000 million cubic meters to 60,000 million cubic meters a day following Kiev's failure to sign a pre-arranged agreement.


Ukraine owes Russia about $1.8 billion for gas. Russia has often cut fuel supplies for non-payment.




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