Ukraine to Be Able to Do Without Russian Gas in 2016

Next year Ukraine may be able to do without Russian gas purchases, while focusing on reverse-flow gas imports from Europe, Naftogaz chief Andriy Kobolev said at the annual Conductors of Change Forum in Kyiv today, October 29.

"I think that in 2016 we can safely say that we can completely make it without Russian gas," he said.

According to Kobolev, the refusal from Russian gas import can be made possible due to increased purchases of "blue fuel" in the EU and reduction of gas consumption in Ukraine.

As UNIAN reported ealier, Ukrtransgaz predicts a drop in natural gas consumption in 2015 by 20% compared to 2014, to 34 bcm.