Ukraine will not be able to pump extra 4.3 billion cubic meters of gas necessary for the upcoming cold season into underground storage facilities on time, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Saturday.
According to Novak, to date, Ukraine has pumped 14.7 billion cubic meters of gas out of the 19 billion needed for the winter.
“Thus, it is 4.3 billion cubic meters to be pumped over the remaining period. In our view, this is already virtually impossible to achieve,” the minister said in an interview with Rossiya-24 television channel.
Novak added that it is still possible for Ukraine to reach the level of 17-18 billion cubic meters of gas in underground storage facilities in case of intensive purchases of gas from Russia’s Gazprom energy company and ensuring that supplies start before the end of October.
Ukraine ceased gas purchases from Gazprom after Kiev and Moscow were unable to reach an agreement on gas deliveries for the third quarter of 2015 despite a Russian proposal for a new gas price discount.
In August, Ukraine, which has been suffering from the economic crisis, announced that it expected to receive a loan for winter gas supplies by the end of October.
On Friday, Novak stated that Russia could pump 2 billion cubic meters of gas in September and October to Ukraine’s storages if Kiev uses loans from Europe to purchase gas.
