MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia’s energy giant Gazprom estimates Ukraine’s Naftogaz owes $256.5 million in arrears for gas delivered to southeastern Ukraine for 2015, according to the company’s financial report.
“In 2015, arrears accumulated on the deliveries of gas to southeastern Ukraine at $256.5 million. The likelihood of the [two] companies working together on delivering natural gas to Ukraine completely depends on the issue of paying this debt,” the report reads.
In February, Russia began direct gas supplies to the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics as Kiev refused to deliver gas to the breakaway regions, claiming that the resource-transport infrastructure was critically damaged.
In April, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that if Ukraine did not pay for the deliveries of Russian gas to the Donbass region in accordance with a 2009 long-term contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz, the issue would be taken to court.
Kiev claims the direct Donbass gas supplies are illegal and the question should be investigated by international organizations.
