Ukraine getting less than contracted volumes of gas from Russia - minister
(figures in first and second paragraphs adjusted, last three paragraphs added)
KYIV. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Due to severely cold weather in Russia, Ukraine is receiving 460 million cubic meters of gas a day on the border with Russia, instead of 510 million cubic meters stipulated in technical agreements with Russia, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yury Boyko said.
"Given the abnormal weather in Russia, less gas is coming to our western borders than is stipulated by our technical agreements. There is a very high uptake of gas in Russia. For instance, today we should have 510 million cubic meters of gas. And we have 460 million cubic meters of gas," the minister told reporters on Wednesday.
In connection with this, Ukraine has started to tap more gas from its own underground storage facilities, he said.
Ukraine is not taking more Russian pipeline gas than the technical agreement stipulates, he said. "There is a technical agreement, a supplement to our contract, by which we work," he said.
Ukraine has also "given Turkey 11 million cubic meters of gas per day," he said.