Russian Gazprom supplied 5.6 billion cubic meters of gas to separatists in eastern Ukraine
The Russian gas company, Gazprom, has supplied 5.6 billion cubic meters of gas to the separatist-held territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since January 2015, as reported by the head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, RBC news agency reports.
Gazprom began supplying gas to the uncontrolled territory of Ukraine at the request of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in February 2015. Gas is supplied through the Platovo and Prokhorovka gas measuring stations. The Russian government claimed that the gas is supplied "as humanitarian aid," and Gazprom stated that Ukraine should pay for these supplies.
Ukrainian Naftogaz stated that the deliveries are illegal, and refused to pay for them. Naftogaz stated that it has no access to these gas measuring stations. In addition, Ukraine has not signed a contract for gas supplies from Russia.
In late November 2015, Ukraine refused to purchase natural gas from Gazprom, as Naftogaz found its price to be too high.