MOSCOW, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom will file a suit against the Ukrainian national energy company Naftogaz Ukrainy on the allegedly gas-transit shortage to Europe amid rows over price, local media reported on Saturday.

The arrow of a pressure gauge points to zero at a Ukrainian gas compressor station in the village of Boyarka near the capital Kiev Jan. 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "Gazprom asks the Court of Arbitration in Stockholm to take within a maximally short period of time measures forbidding Naftogaz Ukrainy to make any moves aimed at the reduction of transit of Russian gas to Europe," Itar-Tass cited Gazprom sources as saying.

    Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has approved the decision, said Gazprom's CEO Alexei Miller who noted that the planned suit was based on a 10-year contract on volumes of and terms for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine that came into force in 2003.

    Some European Union countries, such as Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and Hungary, said that gas supplies from Russia through pipelines in Ukraine have dropped since Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Jan. 1 due to failure of price talks.

    Naftogaz Ukrainy, however, said that the fall of gas supplies to Romania, which suffers the most, was caused by "technical reasons."

Economic, political wrestling behind Russia-Ukraine gas row 

Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom's headquarters is seen in Moscow, Jan. 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russia's suspension of gas supplies to Ukraine has entered the third day with no settlement in sight. Some European countries have begun to be affected by a gas shortfall.

    On Friday, Russia's state gas monopoly Gazprom accused Ukraine of "stealing" gas in transit. Ukrainian officials denied the accusation, saying that they are withdrawing only enough gas to operate pumping stations serving the pipelines.

Ukraine warns EU of serious gas shortfall in near future 

    KIEV, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine warned on Saturday the European Union (EU) that the bloc could face serious gas shortfall in around 10 days if the gas row between Russia and Ukraine is not resolved.

    "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," President Viktor Yushchenko's representative on energy security Bogdan Sokolovski told a news conference.

Romania's gas supply not to be affected by dispute between Ukraine, Russia: FM 

    BUCHAREST, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Romania's supply with gas imported from Russia will not be affected by the problem existing between Kiev and Moscow, Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Ogryzko in a telephone conversation on Saturday.

    According to a press release issued by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, Ogryzko assured Diaconescu that Romania would have to bear no consequences following this situation. He said he wanted Romania's support for a European mission to come to Kiev in order to evaluate the problem of gas supply.

Russian gas supply to Bulgaria reduces 

    SOFIA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The CEO of Bulgarian gas supplier "Bulgargaz" Dimiter Gogov said Russian natural gas supply to Bulgaria went down Saturday but has not yet reached a critical low point, according to local press report.

    "The pressure in the pipe has gone down and since Saturday morning we receive lower quantities of natural gas," Gogov said.

EU calls for immediate resumption of gas deliveries

    BRUSSELS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) called on Friday for immediate resumption of full deliveries of gas to its member states after Hungary and Poland suffered reduced supplies due to Russia's dispute with Ukraine.

    "The European Union calls for an urgent solution to the commercial dispute on gas supplies from the Russian Federation to Ukraine and for an immediate resumption of full deliveries of gas to the EU member states," the Czech government, which assumed the EU presidency in the new year, said in a statement.

Ukrainian president: Gas dispute with Russia will be settled soon

    KIEV, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Gas dispute with Russia will be settled by Jan.7, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said in a statement Thursday.

    "I think that we are close to a compromise and I ask the Russian president, the Russian prime minister and Ukrainian negotiators ... to do all they can so the talks can be completed as soon as possible."

Russia cuts off gas supplies to Ukraine

    MOSCOW, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russia's state gas monopoly Gazprom cut all natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Thursday morning after talks broke down over payments for past shipments and a new energy price contract for 2009, a company spokesman said.

    "Gas supplies have been completely cut as of 10:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) today," spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said at a press conference.  Full story