courtesy Kremlin.ru

Russian politicians and gas companies have said gas was on the verge of flowing through the Ukraine again, although the conflict that lead to the stop in a disruption of supplies via Naftogaz Ukraine’s pipes has yet to be solved.

Russian President Dimitri Medvedev has apparently told Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko that Gazprom’s gas will flow when “monitoring procedures are in place”. But he suggested Ukraine take up a European Union loan to pay for gas “illegally misappropriated” in 2009.

With last year’s gas pact was no longer in force, new negotiations were still needed, and the exchanging of barbs hasn’t helped. On Tuesday, Gazprom maintained the Ukrainian side had claimed it has siphoned off gas “for technical reasons”.

A Gazprom communique blasted that only the gas company exporting its gas could earmark special volumes.

“If Naftogas Ukrainy is not able to secure own needs in technological gas from its own resources, they have to purchase it and not take it off from transiting deliveries,” Gazprom spokesperson Sergey Kupriayov was quoted as saying.

Late Monday, the BBC reported Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin saying the gas would come on again in batches: a first shipment would restore pressure, and, should monitors on both sides of Ukraine agree no foul play, a second shipment would restore normal flows.

Tags: Gazprom OAO, Naftogaz