Gazprom: Received $15 Million from Ukraine As Prepayment for Gas

MOSCOW--Russia's natural gas monopoly OAO Gazprom said Friday it has received $15 million from Ukraine as a prepayment for gas delivery and will ship 68.9 million cubic meters of gas to the neighboring country.

Ukraine's national gas company Naftogaz had accused Gazprom of not delivering the amount of gas Ukraine had paid for.

Gazprom said on Thursday it may compromise on Kiev's gas supply to the rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, but has threatened to cut off gas delivery to Ukraine if it doesn't pay in advance.

Until now Moscow insisted that it is Ukraine's responsibility to supply gas to the territories controlled by the Russia-backed insurgents, which Kiev refuses to do.

Earlier this week Gazprom said that supplies to the European Union were at "serious risk" after it said Ukraine had failed to make a payment for new shipments. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Naftogaz has accused Gazprom of not following through with prepaid deliveries.

officials from Russia and Ukraine said they will attend a trilateral meeting with the European Commission in Brussels on March 2 on the issue of gas supply.

Gazprom switched to a system of prepayment for gas deliveries to Ukraine last spring after negotiations with the new Ukrainian government on pricing collapsed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia may halt supplies of natural gas to Ukraine if Kiev doesn't proceed with prepayment, which in turn may threaten gas deliveries to Europe.

Write to Alexander Kolyandr at [e-mail]

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