Ukraine gas imports, consumption fall in January-July

Ukraine's natural gas imports fell by 33.6 percent, while gas consumption dropped by 7.5 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2013, according to official figures released on Thursday. Gas imports plunged 6.292 billion cubic meters to nearly 12.445 billion cubic meters during the period, the country's Coal and Energy Ministry said in a statement. In January-July 2013, Ukraine consumed 30.474 billion cubic meters of gas, down from 32.959 billion cubic meters in the first seven months of 2012, the statement said. In July alone, the former Soviet republic imported 2.125 billion cubic meters of gas, down 24.7 percent year-on-year, it said. Ukraine, which is paying 400 U.S. dollars per 1,000 cubic meters of Russian gas and 385 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters of fuel from Europe, has been seeking to cut its purchases to 27.3 billion cubic meters this year from 32.9 billion cubic meters in 2012.