Gazprom breaks ground for gas pipeline

MOSCOW, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Gazprom, Russia's natural gas monopoly, has begun laying a natural gas pipeline that will export the commodity to Europe.

The first 60 miles, which will go through the Boksitogorsky area of the Leningrad region, will be finished in six months, Novosti said Monday.

Construction is expected to be completed by 2008.

Much of the gas for the pipeline will come from the South Russian gas field in the Yamal Peninsula in West Siberia, officials said.