MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Ukraine's Ukrtransgaz gas transport system operator is auctioning off its last half a cubic meter of Russian gas, the company's press service head said.
"This contains the last half a cubic meter of imported Russian gas for domestic needs, this exhibit will be sold at a charity auction held by the DiXi Group," Maxim Belyavsky said on his Facebook page on Saturday.
Belyavsky also published a picture of a cylinder containing the gas. The money made from the auction will reportedly be donated to an orphanage in the eastern city Sievierodonetsk.
Kiev stopped buying gas from Russia in November 2015 citing high prices, however, Ukraine continues buying transit gas from the European Union.
Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in gas disputes for years. In June 2014, Gazprom switched Ukraine to a prepayment system for gas supplies citing the country's massive gas debt. Naftogaz immediately appealed to the Arbitration Court in Stockholm to retroactively revise its 2009-2019 gas transit contract with Russia.
Europe intervened in the dispute late in 2015 to mediate the so-called winter gas package for the peak season in 2015-2016 at trilateral talks. A 2016-2017 winter package has not been agreed on despite the onset of the cold season.
