Ukraine imports almost no Russian gas in first few days of May

Ukraine from May 1 to May 5 imported only 11.7 million cubic meters of Russian natural gas.

According to data from Russia's Central Dispatching Department of Fuel Energy Complex (CDU TEK), for three out of five days in May Ukraine did not import Russian gas at all. If the pace is retained, imports of Russian gas in May will not exceed 100 million cubic meters.

In April, imports of Russian natural gas to Ukraine came to 800.8 million cubic meters.

As reported, national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy and Dmytro Firtash's OstChem Holding (Switzerland) import Russian gas to Ukraine.

Naftogaz Ukrainy said that starting from February 2013, imported natural gas has come from Russia via Switzerland's Ostchem Gas Trading AG in monthly volumes that almost fully cover the needs of industrial consumers in Ukraine for imported gas.

In late April 2013, Naftogaz CEO Yevhen Bakulin said that Naftogaz Ukrainy doesn't plan to buy large amounts of Russian natural gas in April-May 2013 for further pumping into underground storage facilities as part of preparations for the 2013-2014 heating season. He said that gas would be actively pumped to underground storage facilities in summer. If Gazprom does not change the price of gas sold to Naftogaz Ukrainy, Ukraine plans to boost imports of natural gas from Europe under a contract with RWE Supply&Trading GmbH (Germany).

Due to the plans and statements of Gazprom about reducing Russian gas transit to Europe via the Ukrainian gas transport system, and Moscow's unwillingness to cut the price of its gas, Ukraine has started using its gas transport system in the reverse mode.

From November 2012, Ukraine started importing natural gas via Poland under contracts with RWE. From April 2013, natural gas supplies started from Hungary. Talks with operators from Slovakia and Romania on the supply of natural gas to the Ukrainian gas transport system are being held. The agreements with RWE foresee the supply of up to 5 billion cubic meters of gas in 2013.

Naftogaz and OstChem imported 32.927 bcm of natural gas from Russia and Germany for $14.025 billion in 2012.

Gas imports fell 17.3%, to 7.7 bcm in January-March 2013.

In 2013, Naftogaz Ukrainy, OstChem, Eastern-European Fuel and Energy Company (VETEK) and Metinvest import gas from Russia and Europe.