KIEV, January 15 (Sputnik) – Ukraine has more than doubled its natural gas imports from Slovakia to 27.1 million cubic meters over 24 hours, the country’s gas transportation system operator Ukrtransgaz said Friday.
"The increase in gas supplies from the Slovak direction has taken place since yesterday (14.01.16), 27.1 million cubic meters were received from Slovakia," Ukrtransgaz said on its website.
In comparison, Ukraine’s daily imports have averaged 11.4 million cubic meters as of Wednesday, January 13, according to Ukrtransgaz.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has previously suggested Kiev would be able to withstand suspended gas deliveries from Russia this winter with underground storage supplies and purchases from Europe.
In a Sunday video address, Yatsenyuk said prices offered by European Union suppliers were lower than those offered by Russia.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko declared his country was buying twice as much gas in the European Union as it did in Russia.