Russia gas flow to Europe via Ukraine to halt as deal ends

Russian natural gas flows to Europe across Ukraine appear poised to halt on Wednesday, after a transit deal expires, raising the stakes for the continent's energy security as it draws heavily on reserves.

- Bloomberg

MOSCOW:

Initial orders for gas at the Sudzha intake station on the Russia-Ukraine border are set for zero on January 1, according to data published by Ukraine's network operator. The data could still update.

That compares with usual levels of around 40 million cubic metres a day. The so-called nominations represent customer requests for gas, not physical supplies of the fuel.

It's the first tangible sign that Russian flows via Ukraine—a major transit route for decades—will cease at 6 am Central European Time on New Year's Day.