Naftogaz dismisses DPR's claims of controlling GTS, UGS in Donbas

Naftogaz Ukrainy has dismissed claims by representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) about having gained control over the gas transportation system (GTS) and underground gas storage (UGS) facilities in the Donbas area.

"This is not true," Naftogaz chief Andriy Kobolev told Interfax-Ukraine.

The Luhansk region is home to the Verhunske and Krasnopopivske UGS facilities with a total capacity of 820 million cubic meters; currently, they store around 196 million cubic meters of natural gas.

There is only one large transit corridor in the areas controlled by militants from the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.

Earlier on Tuesday DPR leaders claimed to have taken control over the GTS in the region. "The whole gas transportation system is under our control. Also, control has been established over two gas storage facilities," said Andriy Purhin, the first deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed republic.