Heating companies owe Naftogaz nearly UAH 25.5bn for the natural gas they have consumed, Naftogaz representatives claim.
“Naftogaz Ukraine has sent emergency letters to the heads of oblasts with the highest debt for gas, including Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kherson, Sumy, Odesa, Lutsk and Kirovohrad Oblasts,” the statement says. “Also, Naftogaz Ukraine has notified them that the supply of natural gas has been cut to a technical minimum for preventive purposes. This was caused by the violation of contracts and significant debt for the natural gas consumed.” The list does not include three easter oblasts that were named the biggest debtors in Naftogaz's official statement dated January 4, namely Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv Oblasts. The statement dissapeared from the company's website shortly after it was posted but a number of publications had already reposted it by then.
Earlier, Acting Vice Permier Yuriy Boyko said that delays in settlements for gas are linked to the Maidan.
“Settlements for gas have stopped in the past two months, especially from regions where the government bodies have been “liquidated” and People’s Councils have been established. They are hardly paying any money now,” Boyko said.
“The debt has grown UAH 4bn over January alone, which puts NAK Naftogaz Ukraine in a difficult position concerning settlements with our Russian partners,” he noted.
