REUTERS
The transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to the European Union increased by 42% to 3.7 billion cubic meters (bcm) from January 1 to January 18, 2016, compared to the same period in 2015, according to PJSC Ukrtransgaz, the operator of Ukraine's gas transportation system.
"From January 1 to January 18, 2016, a total of 3.7 bcm of natural gas was transported through the Ukrainian gas transportation system to the European consumers, which is 42%, or 1.1 bcm, more than the same period last year," the report says.
According to Ukrtransgaz, on the morning of January 20, the daily volume of gas transportation through the territory of Ukraine was at 217 million cubic meters (mcm), which is 60% more than the same date in 2015.
Read alsoGazprom demands $2.5 bln from Ukraine for unused gasAs UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine unilaterally increased for Russia's gas giant Gazprom the cost of transit of Russian gas to the EU by 50%.
At the same time, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine has offered to Gazprom to negotiate the cost of services for transit of Russian gas to the EU after the National Commission, which performs state regulation in the energy and utilities (NKREKP) established new pricing rules on December 29.
However, according to the existing contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz, under which the parties argue in the Stockholm arbitration, the cost of services for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine is linked to the price of gas.
The transit of Russian gas to the European Union countries through the territory of Ukraine decreased by 29.1% to 59.4 bcm in 2014, compared to 2013. At the same time, it increased by 7.9% to 67.1 bcm in 2015, compared to 2014.
According to the transit contract between Ukraine and Russia, Gazprom should annually pump through Ukraine no less than 110 bcm of natural gas.
In October 2014, Naftogaz appealed to the Stockholm arbitration for the revision of the contract for the transit of Russian gas, as well as to compensate funds for the insufficient pumping through Ukraine.