Gas transit via Ukraine drops 16.5%

Natural gas transit via Ukraine to Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) fell 16.5 percent year-on-year to 32.164 billion cubic meters in January-May, according to official data released Wednesday. Gas transit to European countries plunged 15.1 percent to 31.121 billion cubic meters during the period, the state-run Ukrtransgaz Company said in a statement. During the first five month of the current year, Ukraine delivered 1.043 billion cubic meters of gas to CIS countries, down 29.9 percent year-on-year, the statement said. In January-May 2013, Ukrtransgaz also supplied around 23.856 of natural gas to domestic consumers, it said.