PRAGUE - THE deputy head of Russia's Gazprom, Alexander Medvedev, accused Ukraine on Saturday of stealing 35 million cubic metres of Russian gas a day intended for Europe, saying Kiev would have to pay for it.

Mr Medvedev was speaking after arriving in Prague for talks with the European Union on his country's gas dispute with Ukraine, as several EU countries reported shortages of gas from Russia.

Polish gas supply via Ukraine falls 11% WARSAW - RUSSIAN gas deliveries to Poland through Ukraine fell further on Saturday, dropping by 5 million cubic metres a day, but deliveries through Belarus made up for the shortfall, the director of gas operator Gaz System said. Tadeusz Abramowicz told a news conference that Poland could import an additional 2 million cubic metres of gas a day through Belarus should the row between Russia and Ukraine cause furher declines in gas supply. ... more

The Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency, has called for a resumption of disrupted supplies and representatives from the bloc were due to discuss the issue in Brussels on Monday.

'If we add the gas from the export pipeline and underground storage to the gas that was taken by Naftogaz without any contract it already exceeds 35 million cubic metres a day,' Mr Medvedev told reporters.

'All the gas which was illegally taken will have to be paid for,' on top of the 600 million dollars outstanding, he said.

Naftogaz has denied the charge, claiming the Russians are not delivering the due quantities to European clients.

'I am here to meet to meet mass media, representatives and the representation of the EU to fully inform them on what is going on and see what potential measures could be taken in order to solve the crisis,' Mr Medvedev said.

'All our efforts to find a settlement were not met: in the absence of a contract we are not in a position legally to supply gas to Ukraine; from January 1 we are not supplying gas to Ukrainian consumers.

'The situation is dictated by Russian legislation: in the absence of a contract it is not possible to deliver any products, whether it is oil, gas or machinery, this rule is applied to any country around the world,' he said.

'We believe in these circumstances that the states which start to suffer should take all the necessary measures to ask Ukraine to comply with its international obligations.

'We are fully committed that all gas should be delivered to our European customers,' he said.

'I will meet Czech representative in charge of the EU to give a picture of what is going on", he added, accusing Ukraine of 'trying to manipulate public opinion'.

From Prague Mr Medvedev was due to fly to Berlin where he was to give a news conference, travelling to Paris on Monday for a meeting with Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, before going on to London, Vienna, Milan or Rome and 'perhaps Brussels'. -- AFP