Naftogaz short on gas purchases

KIEV, Ukraine, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Ukrainian utility Naftogaz has enough gas to meet domestic and regional transit needs but is still short of its commitments to Gazprom, officials said.

Bogdan Sokolovsky, the chief energy adviser to Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko, said the embattled utility had enough gas in storage to at least meet supply and transit obligations, ITAR-Tass reports.

"Ukraine is fully ready to meet its commitments on the transit of gas via its territory within at least the next half-a-year," he said.

Gazprom cut gas supplies to Ukraine briefly in January over a dispute regarding gas contracts and debt payments. The contract settling that dispute places strict requirements on Kiev in terms of gas purchases and payment deadlines.

Sokolovsky said Kiev fell short of its purchase volumes by more than 400 billion cubic feet in 2009 but noted "at the moment of the signing (of the January contract) it was clear that Ukraine can neither get, nor consume nor pay for such amounts of gas."