Main news of January 3

* Russian energy giant Gazprom said Ukraine had siphoned off 118.7 million cu m of Russian export gas on January 2-3, and 104.8 million cu m of Russian export gas from January 1 to January 2

* Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said he had asked the European Union to influence Ukraine to ensure full and uninterrupted gas transit from Russia to EU countries and said Russia was ready to honor all its commitments under gas contracts with Europe

* An Italian minister said the country had lost 32 million cubic meters of natural gas since a gas conflict erupted between Russia and Ukraine

* Gazprom said it would be able to supply gas to the European markets bypassing Ukraine in the medium-term perspective

* Gazprom said it had completed work to supply required gas volumes to European consumers and compensate for the gas siphoned off by Ukraine

* The German government said Russia and Ukraine should reach a mutually advantageous compromise on the gas issue

* Gazprom said a Ukrainian delegation had left for Moscow to discuss the gas issue