KIEV — Ukraine, which faces low gas reserves in the run-up to the winter season, hopes to sign a new gas agreement with Russia's Gazprom later this month, Andriy Kobolev, head of the Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz, said on Friday.
Kobolev gave no details of the new gas supply deal, which would be likely to run until the end of March 2016.
Moscow and Kiev agreed last year on a "winter package" for supplies with a price discount of $100 per thousand cubic meters and advance payments. That agreement expired on July 1 and has yet to be replaced.
Ukraine, which halted gas imports from Russia this July because of a pricing dispute, has built up 14.7 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in underground storage as of Sept. 7. It wants to store 18-19 bcm for winter by mid-October.
Ukraine draws on gas in underground storage to safeguard supply in winter and ensure there are no disruptions to the transit of Russian gas across the country to European Union clients.
Economic dealings between the two powers are complicated by a conflict between Ukrainian government troops and separatists in Ukraine's industrialized east in which up to 8,000 have been killed. Moscow denies Ukrainian and Western charges that its troops are directly supporting the separatists.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
