Ukraine`s national energy company Naftogaz has dismissed Russian accusations that Kiev was stealing natural gas bound for Europe during the recent cold snap, according to Xinhua.
"Ukraine did not pump out a single cubic meter of gas at the expense of Russian gas transit to Europe. We are stating this officially and this information is confirmed by corresponding documents," Deputy Board Chairman Vadim Chuprun said Monday.
The state-run company said Russian gas giant Gazprom had not delivered the due quantities to its European clients.
Naftogaz had documented proof Gazprom reduced gas flows to customers in Europe from Feb. 1 to 21, Chuprun said, adding Ukraine had not received approximately 1.247 billion cubic meters of gas during this period.
On Wednesday, Gazprom chief Alexei Miller accused Ukraine of siphoning off nearly 40 million cubic meters of gas bound for European consumers.
Russian gas deliveries to at least nine European countries fell by up to 30 percent during February`s cold snap.
Russian gas supplies to Europe in recent years have suffered from bitter disputes between Moscow and Ukraine. As a result, Russia has begun to build new pipelines, including the Nord Stream, which runs to Germany via the Baltic Sea, and the South Stream, which travels underneath the Black Sea to Bulgaria.
