Ukraine's national energy company Naftogaz Ukrayiny paid about $808 million to Russia's gas giant Gazprom for natural gas imported in January, the company said in a statement Wednesday.
Ukraine is buying Russian gas at about $416 per 1,000 cu m in the first quarter of 2012, compared with $401/1,000 cu m in the fourth quarter of 2011.
The current price includes $100/1,000 cu m discount Ukraine obtained in April 2010 in exchange for extending the stationing of the Russian naval fleet in Ukraine's Crimea by 25 years through 2042.
"Naftogaz every month in full and on time fulfills commitments to Gazprom on payment for the supplied natural gas," Naftogaz said in the statement.
Ukraine has been trying for almost two years to renegotiate its current gas deal with Russia, seeking a lower price. But the talks have so far failed to yield any tangible results.
Naftogaz paid about $1.004 billion to Gazprom in January for natural gas imported in December 2011, compared with $972 million paid in December for gas imported in November.
Ukraine plans to import 27 billion cu m of gas from Russia in 2012, down from about 40 billion cu m imported in 2011, according to Naftogaz.
