Ukraine prepared for winter heating season

KIEV, Ukraine, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Ukraine has enough gas in storage to meet the fall and winter heating demand for the first time in nearly two decades, the prime minister said Tuesday.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said in statements posted on her Web site that her country "for the first time in 18 years" has stored enough gas for the fall and winter heating season.

Volumes have reached slightly more than 900 billion cubic feet of natural gas in underground storage facilities, according to government figures.

"We can stop pumping gas into our underground storage facilities," she said. "We have enough gas to supply Ukraine for the fall and winter and ensure the transit of gas to Europe."

Russian gas monopoly Gazprom cut gas supplies to Ukraine briefly in January due to gas debts and contract disputes. That row left Russia's gas customers in Europe starved for gas as 80 percent of its supplies run through Ukrainian territory.

The January contract that settled that dispute placed strict gas volume and monthly payment deadlines on Ukrainian gas utility Naftogaz.

Tymoshenko noted the $667 million due for August gas was paid in time "without taking out any loans."