Ukraine began importing natural gas from Russia today, December 9, the head of public relations at gas transport operator Ukrtransgaz, Maksym Beliavsky, told Interfax.

He said Ukraine would import 43.5 million cubic meters of natural gas per day in December to meet the needs of Ukrainian consumers. This is being carried out under a contract with Russian gas giant Gazprom.

Gazprom's official representative Sergei Kupriyanov confirmed this information.

"Today Naftogaz Ukrainy made a request to ship 43.5 million cubic meters of gas per day to Ukrainian consumers. An advance payment for December supplies was received earlier. Gazprom began shipping gas to Ukraine at 1000 a.m. Moscow time," he said.

Beliavsky added that gas imports from Russia began two days ahead of schedule because of a new request from Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy. The state holding was previously planning to begin importing Russian gas on December 11.

Gas will flow through the Sudzha and Mozyr gas measuring stations.

Naftogaz transferred Gazprom an advance payment of $378 million on December 5 for 1 billion cubic meters of gas to be received in December of this year.