MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/. Ukraine’s natural gas reserves in underground gas storages (UGS) has risen to 14 bln cubic meters, the association of European underground gas storage operators GSE said on Monday.

As of August 23, 2015, 14 bln cubic meters of gas was there in Ukraine’s UGS. Ukraine injected 6.5 bln cubic meters of natural gas since April 11. One bln cubic meters of natural gas was injected into UGS since the beginning of August.

TASS reported earlier Ukraine needs to accumulate 19 bln cubic meters of natural gas in its underground storages for the new heating season.

Ukraine initiated UGS gas withdrawal on October 20, 2014. 16.7 bln cubic meters was in gas storages at the beginning of the previous heating season.

Gas reserves in Ukraine’s underground storages support stable supplies of the Russian gas to Europe in required volumes. An increase in gas withdrawal in the East is compensated by using gas from UGS in the West.