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Russia-Ukraine gas dispute

Ukraine’s antimonopoly committee starts probe against Russia's Gazprom

The maximal penalty may total 10% of the annual turnover of the company per violation

Headquarters of Russia's natural gas giant Gazprom
AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

Headquarters of Russia's natural gas giant Gazprom

© AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

KIEV, May 13. /TASS/. The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) launched a probe concerning the alleged violation of antimonopoly laws by Russian Gazprom, acting chairman of the committee Nikolai Barash said on Wednesday.

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"There is a cabinet directive approving the application concerning violations of Ukraine’s economic competition protection laws by Russian company Gazprom," Barash said.

The committee already received and is reviewing the document. "The probe started," he added.

"The maximal penalty may total 10% of the annual turnover of the company per violation,’ the acting chairman of AMCU said.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk approved the AMCU earlier with a request to launch such a probe. The Russian company "is acting on discriminating, actually noncompetitive conditions and inflicts damage to Ukraine’s economy," he said.

According to data of the state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz of Ukraine, the Russian gas accounted for 39% of total natural gas imported by Ukraine in the first quarter of 2015 against 74% during the similar period last year.

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Ukraine Gazprom Russia-Ukraine Gas Dispute

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