Ukraine's state gas firm Naftogaz claims the ownership right to 10 billion cubic meters of stored natural gas belonging to trader Rosukrenergo as part of a deal to take on the company's debt, the Vedomosti daily says Thursday citing a source close to Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Rosukrenergo, a Swiss-based trader jointly owned by Russia's OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS) and two Ukrainian businessmen, was eliminated following a deal signed Monday between Gazprom and Naftogaz to end a three-week dispute, which caused a halt in Russian gas exports to Europe via Ukraine.
Under the deal, Gazprom sold Rosukrenergo's $1.7 billion debt to Naftogaz. Now, Vedomosti says, Naftogaz wants to take Rosukrenergo's gas in exchange for that debt.
Vedomosti says that Gazprom may not agree to that scheme.