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| Ukraine pipeline firm raid halted | Ukraine pipeline firm raid halted |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Ukrainian national security service agents have tried to gain entry to the offices of the authority which oversees gas pipelines, but were turned away. | Ukrainian national security service agents have tried to gain entry to the offices of the authority which oversees gas pipelines, but were turned away. |
| The investigators were forced to leave the premises of the firm, Ukrtransgaz, following a stand-off with MPs loyal to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. | The investigators were forced to leave the premises of the firm, Ukrtransgaz, following a stand-off with MPs loyal to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. |
| On Wednesday, armed agents raided the state energy company, Naftogaz, as part of a probe into the diversion of gas. | On Wednesday, armed agents raided the state energy company, Naftogaz, as part of a probe into the diversion of gas. |
| Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said it was a bid to "paralyse" gas supplies. | Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said it was a bid to "paralyse" gas supplies. |
| Naftogaz was at the heart of a dispute between Ukraine and Russia in January that led to severe gas shortages for millions across Europe. | Naftogaz was at the heart of a dispute between Ukraine and Russia in January that led to severe gas shortages for millions across Europe. |
| Russia's state gas firm, Gazprom, suspended gas supplies to Ukraine for two weeks until Ukraine's government and Naftogaz agreed prices at which they would buy Russian gas, and ship it to Europe. | Russia's state gas firm, Gazprom, suspended gas supplies to Ukraine for two weeks until Ukraine's government and Naftogaz agreed prices at which they would buy Russian gas, and ship it to Europe. |
| The Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, warned gas supplies to Ukraine would be switched off again unless Kiev settled its $360m debts by a deadline on Saturday. | |
| On Thursday, Russian state media reported that Naftogaz had transferred $310m to Gazprom and had promised to pay the outstanding $50m in the next few days. Naftogaz later said it had completed the payment. | |
| Stand-off | Stand-off |
| Earlier on Thursday, Ukrtransgaz spokeswoman Inna Koval said a group of apparently unarmed Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agents were seeking entry to the company's offices in Kiev. | Earlier on Thursday, Ukrtransgaz spokeswoman Inna Koval said a group of apparently unarmed Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agents were seeking entry to the company's offices in Kiev. |
| "There are people here at the entrance trying to get in," she told the Reuters news agency. "They are not producing any sort of documents or warrants." | "There are people here at the entrance trying to get in," she told the Reuters news agency. "They are not producing any sort of documents or warrants." |
| The shadowy corporation RosUkrEnergo wanted to claim ownership, but the government will not allow that Yulia TymoshenkoUkrainian prime minister | The shadowy corporation RosUkrEnergo wanted to claim ownership, but the government will not allow that Yulia TymoshenkoUkrainian prime minister |
| The investigators were forced to leave after about an hour when parliamentarians representing the prime minister refused to let them enter the offices. | The investigators were forced to leave after about an hour when parliamentarians representing the prime minister refused to let them enter the offices. |
| SBU spokeswoman Marina Ostapenko said its agents had been "conducting an investigation within the framework of a criminal case over abuses in the gas sector". | SBU spokeswoman Marina Ostapenko said its agents had been "conducting an investigation within the framework of a criminal case over abuses in the gas sector". |
| On Wednesday, the SBU said it wanted to examine documents regarding the appropriation of 6.3bn cu m of natural gas worth $880m (£620m), whose ownership is in dispute following the deal struck between Moscow and Kiev on 18 January. | On Wednesday, the SBU said it wanted to examine documents regarding the appropriation of 6.3bn cu m of natural gas worth $880m (£620m), whose ownership is in dispute following the deal struck between Moscow and Kiev on 18 January. |
| It said the gas belonged to an intermediary company, RosUkrEnergo, which was until recently at the centre of the gas trade between the two countries. Naftogaz says the gas belongs to the Ukrainian state. | It said the gas belonged to an intermediary company, RosUkrEnergo, which was until recently at the centre of the gas trade between the two countries. Naftogaz says the gas belongs to the Ukrainian state. |
| January's agreement was supposed to eliminate RosUkrEnergo, which is part-owned by Gazprom and partly by two Ukrainian businessmen. | January's agreement was supposed to eliminate RosUkrEnergo, which is part-owned by Gazprom and partly by two Ukrainian businessmen. |
| Negotiations on the contracts were led by Prime Minister Tymoshenko and her Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The deal was criticised at the time by her ally-turned-rival, President Viktor Yushchenko. | Negotiations on the contracts were led by Prime Minister Tymoshenko and her Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The deal was criticised at the time by her ally-turned-rival, President Viktor Yushchenko. |
| The SBU is overseen by the president, whose office said it was acting within the law, while Naftogaz answers to the prime minister. | The SBU is overseen by the president, whose office said it was acting within the law, while Naftogaz answers to the prime minister. |
| Speaking in Paris on Wednesday, Ms Tymoshenko said the SBU "wanted simply to paralyse the activities of Naftogaz" and its supplies to Ukrainian customers. | Speaking in Paris on Wednesday, Ms Tymoshenko said the SBU "wanted simply to paralyse the activities of Naftogaz" and its supplies to Ukrainian customers. |
| She also promised not to allow "the shadowy corporation RosUkrEnergo" to claim ownership of the diverted gas. | She also promised not to allow "the shadowy corporation RosUkrEnergo" to claim ownership of the diverted gas. |