Naftogaz CEO says gas transit claims against Gazprom estimated at $8.2 bln

The total sum of the claims filed by NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy against Russia's OAO Gazprom under a gas transit contract is $8.2 billion, Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolev said at Adam Smith Conferences' Ukrainian Energy Forum in Kyiv on Tuesday.

"The total sum of the claims under the transit contract is $8.2 billion," he said.

New tariffs for gas transportation, which were approved by the National Commission of Ukraine for Energy, Housing and Utilities Services Regulation (NCER), have already become effective, and Naftogaz expects it will be able to enforce the new tariff system on Gazprom either through talks or in court.

"Should a compromise be found [with Gazprom], there might be additional payments for the period since the new tariffs became effective," he added.

The fact that de jure the new tariffs are in effect already but de facto Gazprom doesn't apply them, Naftogaz has difficulties with payment of VAT on transportation, Kobolev said.

"'We're jointly with the Finance Ministry looking for a solution to use the cash method of accounting," he added.