You're reading: Boiko: Naftogaz Ukrainy, government fulfill task to considerably cut gas purchases under contract with Russia

The Ukrainian government and national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy in general fulfilled tasks of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to considerably reduce gas purchases under a contract signed by former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko in 2009 with Russia, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yuriy Boiko said.

“In general, the task the president of our country set before us – to reduce purchases under a contract signed by the previous government headed by Tymoshenko and brought many troubles to our economy – is fulfilled by Naftogaz Ukrainy and the government,” Boiko said on Saturday in Kyiv region, answering questions of journalists.

He said that in 2013, Ukraine bought only 11 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia, while three years ago the figure was 40 billion cubic meters.

“We’ve cut purchases under the contract,” he said.

“As for information from our Russian colleagues, I can say that we really have some problems with gas payment by our housing and utilities companies. The debt is very huge, and we hope that in the near term they reduce it,” he said.