MOSCOW, Jan. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Russia's natural gas company Gazprom has began reducing pressure in its lines to Ukraine, news agencies cited a company spokesman as saying on Sunday.

    Gazprom has said it will halt gas supplies to Ukraine at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) after Ukraine refused a demand for price rise.

    The gas company said supplies of Russian gas exported via Ukraine to Europe were unaffected, Itar-Tass news agency quoted Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kuprianov as saying.

    Last year, Gazprom sold some 25 billion cubic meters of gas to Ukraine, about a third of that country's consumption. Enditem