Naftogaz confirms solvency to Gazprom

“In January and February we paid for all volumes of gas consumed over the period in time,” he said.

Zemliansky also claimed that the company had no debts to RosUkrEnergo. “The issue on the debts to RUE was settled even in December 2008 with Naftogaz paying for gas supplied,” he said.

At the same time, Naftogaz does not rule out the suits on the part of RosUkrEnergo relative to 11 billion cu m of gas that became a subject to the conflict and, as Zemliansky states, are in the balance sheet of the company and were assigned by the relevant agreement from RosUkrEnergo.

The Naftogaz spokesman also reported that the process of clearance of 11 billion cu m of gas through the customs, which are a subject to the dispute between Naftogaz of Ukraine and RosUkrEnergo, would be continued.

“We need to clear all these 11 billion cu m of gas through the customs so that the status of this gas be legal. A major part of this gas, namely 6 billion cu m, was cleared and I see no problems with its further use,” Zemliansky underlined.

Naftogaz also believes that the SBU is preparing to open a new criminal case against the company.

On January 29, 2009, the SBU sent an official warning to the Energy Regional Customs of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers demanding to prevent illegal actions regarding the volumes of gas being under customs control and declared in the customs regime as “transit”.

On March 2, the SBU opened a criminal case upon the fact of acquisition of 6.3 billion cu m of transit natural gas to the tune of more than UAH 7.4 billion (USD 1 - UAH 7.7) by officials of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine by previous concert of a group of persons.

On March 4, the press service of Naftogaz of Ukraine reported that unidentified people rushed into the company's building. The securities' press center explained that it was an investigation group accompanied by the Alfa task force police officers.