Aleksandr Shlapak

Vice of Chairman of presidential office Aleksandr Shlapak at the news conference in Kiev, January 6, 2009. The Russian natural gas monopolist Gazprom early on 06 December morning reduced gas supplies to Ukraine to 92 million cubic metres per day, a volume roughly one third of average deliveries during winter months. The day's second gas delivery cut by Russia, the limited amounts of gas held by Ukraine in reserve, and the need to ensre continued gas supplies to Ukrainian consumers, meant that pressure in Ukrainian pipelines passing Russian gas on to Europe could soon fall drastically. European countries affected by the lost volumes southward included Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Germany. Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, and Macedonia were worst hit, and as of Tuesday were receiving no Russian gas whatsoever from Ukraine's pipeline system as Naftogaz officials said. Photo by Sergey Svetlitsky / UNIAN