NOVO-OGARYOVO, February 25. /TASS/. Gazprom breached no contract terms with gas supplies through border points in east Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
"It has become known to us that Kiev suspended gas supplies [to the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk republics] referring to alleged damage to gas pipelines," Putin said.
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"At the same time, Gazprom is fulfilling the contract signed back in 2009 and an addendum to it made in October last year. In full compliance with this contract, it supplies gas to Ukraine under advance payments made for the volumes, which Ukraine needs," the Russian president said.
These contracts also stipulate border points, Putin said. "Gazprom is not breaching any provisions," he added.
"As for the damage to the gas pipeline, I don’t know for certain but I know that these regions are home to about 4.5 million people. Just imagine that these people may be left without gas supply during the winter period. In addition to the hunger there as is already stated by the OSCE and the humanitarian disaster, just imagine these people may also be left without gas supply," Putin said.