Ukraine may choose not to buy Russian gas until end of 2013, says energy minister

The national gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy may decide not to buy gas from Russian gas giant Gazprom until the end of this year, Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Eduard Stavytsky has said.

"We believe that we can do without buying Russian gas until the end of the year," Stavytsky told journalists in Kyiv on Wednesday.

The minister said that experts were currently holding final calculations. The reduction of the natural gas consumption by 45% from the target is due to warm weather, Stavytsky said.

He noted that Ukraine had sufficient volumes of gas in its underground storage facilities and there was no need to buy gas from Russia. Ukraine may start buying gas should the need arise, the minister said.