"We bow to him as a man who left a bright imprint on our Ukrainian land," President Viktor Yanukovych said today in an interview in the Donetsk region, recalling Viktor Chernomyrdin, according to the Press office of President Viktor Yanukovych.
The President stressed that Viktor Chernomyrdin was "a great friend of Ukraine and his personal friend.”
Viktor Yanukovych recalled the time when in office of the Prime Minister of Russia, Viktor Chernomyrdin helped the Donetsk region in addressing the issue of gas supply. "In difficult times for Donbass, when he was the Prime Minister of Russia, we had a problem with gas – virtually no gas, no pressure. I addressed the Russian leadership. Viktor Chernomyrdin gave the command and the gas from Urengoy reserve storage went to Ukraine from the Krasnodar region. He helped us on that New Year`s Eve and we saved our industry, our homes. He really helped us," he said.
Speaking about Viktor Chernomyrdin’s work as the Ambassador of Russia in Ukraine, the President added that he was a "very balanced, experienced statesman and politician".
