MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Gazprom plans to purchase about 15 bln cubic meters of gas in Middle Asia this year, Deputy Chief Executive of its export arm Gazprom Export Mikhail Malgin said on Wednesday.

"We are going to procure around 15 bln cubic meters," Malgin said.

Gazprom’s export arm Gazprom Export notified Turkmen gas supplier Turkmengaz that it stopped buying natural gas from Turkmenia since January 1, 2016, a source in the Russian gas holding told TASS earlier.

Gazprom simultaneously increased natural gas purchases from Uzbekistan.