Kiev's Prepaid Gas to Run Out Early on March 6 - Gazprom

According to Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov, Ukraine wants to receive about 10 million cubic meters of gas daily.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian energy giant Gazprom has notified Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz that the gas bought by Ukraine under the advance payment scheme is expected to run out in the early hours of March 6.

Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said in a Rossiya-24 TV broadcast that Ukraine wants to receive about 10 million cubic meters of gas daily.

"That's why Gazprom has sent a letter to Naftogaz saying that under the current delivery volumes and with no advance payments, the prepaid amount [of gas] will be enough to last until the early hours of March 6," he said.

Gazprom switched Ukraine to a prepayment system and halted gas deliveries last summer over Kiev's massive gas debt, surpassing $5 billion at the time.

Moscow and Kiev agreed on an interim gas supply deal in October to ensure deliveries for the winter period.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ukrainian Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said he hoped that Russia and Ukraine would solve the issues regarding future gas deliveries in the coming weeks.