MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. The situation with gas in Europe is already tense - reserves in its storage facilities are 3-5% lower than the average over the past five years, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

"The situation there is already quite tense, even despite the fact that gas continues to flow from Russia today. If it stops flowing, then the situation there will be even more difficult," he said.

The possible halt of Russian gas transit through Ukraine will lead to an even greater acceleration in the rate of gas withdrawal from European storage facilities, Novak added.

The total level of gas reserves in European storage facilities is 75 billion cubic meters, which is 3-5% lower than the average over the past five years, the Deputy Prime Minister noted.