KIEV, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine transported 17.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe in the first quarter, dropped more than 50 percent compared with the same period of last year, the country's fuel and energy ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

    Ukraine sits on the main transit route for Russia's gas exports to Europe, where a quarter of gas needs is supplied by Russia.

    "According to the latest data, Ukraine transited 17.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the first quarter of 2009, which is18.1 billion cubic meters or 50.7 percent less than in the same period of last year," said the statement.

    Ukraine's gas transportation network is Europe's second largest system.

    The capacity of the Ukrainian gas transportation system allows the transit of 142.5 billion cubic meters to European countries a year.