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KIEV : Kiev on Saturday warned the European Union the bloc could face "serious problems" within 10 days with Russian gas deliveries transiting Ukraine, after Moscow cut off all gas supplies to its neighbour.
Several EU states were already reporting shortfalls of up to 10 percent in Russian gas being piped through Ukraine, as the effects of the stand-off between Moscow and Kiev over debts began to be felt beyond the borders of the former Soviet Union.
As the war of words intensified after Moscow turned off the tap on New Year's Day, Russia accused Ukraine of stealing gas intended for Europe while Ukraine alleged that Russia was under-supplying its EU customers.
"If the Russian side does not provide more gas (to EU member states) than at the moment, then in around 10 days there could be very serious technical problems," said top Ukrainian energy official Bogdan Sokolovsky.
"The transit of gas may be disrupted at some point," said Sokolovsky, President Viktor Yushchenko's representative on energy security. "It will not be our fault."
He said the problems would be caused by falling pressure in gas pipes due to the Russian cut of deliveries to Ukraine.
EU But the deputy chief executive of Russian energy giant Gazprom, Alexander Medvedev, accused Ukraine of stealing 35 million cubic metres of Russian gas a day intended for Europe.
"All the gas which was illegally taken will have to be paid for," on top of the 600 million dollars outstanding in other debts, he told reporters in the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency.
Ukraine's state gas firm Naftogaz has denied the charge, claiming the Russians are not delivering the due quantities to European clients.
Medvedev has embarked on a tour of European capitals to win support in the gas crisis and was due to hold talks in Berlin and then Paris after his visit to Prague.
Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller told a management meeting that Gazprom would be pumping additional gas to European customers via pipelines that circumvent Ukraine.
"In these circumstances, Gazprom is obliged to supply additional volumes of gas via other transport corridors," he said.
In further confirmation of the rancour between the two sides, Gazprom announced it had decided to file a law suit against Naftogaz to ensure transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory to Europe.
The stream of accusations and counter-accusations came as several Central and Eastern European EU member states reported a drop in gas supplies from Russia via Ukraine.
Deliveries to Romania have fallen by 30 percent since the start of the dispute, Ioan Rus, director of the gas pipeline operator Transgaz, said, while adding that stocks were adequate to meet demand.
Bulgaria reported a drop of 10 to 15 percent, and Poland six percent, but Hungary and Croatia said supplies were normal.
Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Vondra, who met Medvedev in Prague, was reassuring, saying there was plenty of gas in stock.
"There is no reason for being insecure over the future deliveries, there is no reason for concern," he said.
He added, "We expect to send a group of specialists next week" but refused to specify where they might be going.
Vaclav Bartuska, Prague's special envoy on energy problems, was also non-committal, saying EU approval on the mission was needed first.
But he added, "We are not going to be the arbiter in the dispute, we do not care, we have a contract and we want it to be fulfilled, that is all, full stop."
Around a quarter of the gas used in the EU -- more than 40 percent of the bloc's imports -- comes from Russia, most of it pumped through Ukraine via a Soviet-built pipeline network.
Gazprom currently has two new gas pipelines under construction that by bypass Ukraine to the north and south.
- AFP /ls
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