MOSCOW, October 16. /TASS/. Russia will set a new record in terms of domestic gas consumption in 2021, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in an interview aired by Sergey Brilev’s news show on Rossiya-1 on Saturday.

"Russia is also demonstrating record gas consumption results, domestically, which is particularly related to an active economic recovery in the post-crisis period," he said.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gazprom Vitaly Markelov said earlier that the current gas consumption in Russia exceeds the levels of 2019 and 2020. Gazprom is set to increase gas production by 55 bln cubic meters in 2021 to over 510 bln cubic meters, which is the highest output level in the past decade. The plan is to export 183 bln cubic meters of gas to Europe.

According to preliminary figures, Gazprom increased gas exports to non-CIS countries by 15.3% (19.3 bln cubic meters) in nine months of 2021 to 145.8 bln cubic meters.