Requests for Russian gas via key Ukraine transit point fall to zero, data shows

Nominations for Russian gas transit via Ukraine at the Sokhranovka entry point for May 11 fell to zero, data from Ukraine's gas pipeline operator showed on Wednesday, following Kyiv's warning of shutting down supplies through the route.

Ukraine said on Tuesday it would suspend gas flows through the transit point which it said delivered almost a third of the fuel piped from Russia to Europe via Ukraine, blaming Moscow for the move and saying it would move the flows elsewhere.

The gas pipeline via the Sokhranovka point runs through Ukraine's Luhansk region, part of which has been under control of pro-Russian separatists.

Ukraine's gas pipeline operator GTSOU said it would stop shipments via the route from Wednesday, declaring "force majeure", a clause invoked when a business is hit by something beyond its control.

But Gazprom, the Kremlin-controlled firm which has a monopoly on Russian gas exports by pipeline, said it was "technologically impossible" to shift all volumes to the Sudzha interconnection point further west, as GTSOU proposed.

The data showed requests for Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukraine at the Sudzha entry point stood at almost 72 million cubic metres for Wednesday.

On Tuesday, total Russian gas flows via Ukraine to Europe were at 95.8 million cubic metres.