Ukraine's natural gas reserves at the beginning of 2016 totaled 13.995 billion cubic meters (bcm), whereas a year earlier gas stocks in underground storage facilities amounted to 11.463 bcm.

Thus, the current gas stocks in Ukraine's underground storage facilities are 22.1% (or 2.353 bcm) higher than last year, gas pipeline operator Ukrtransgaz reported.

Since the beginning of the 2015/2016 heating season, Ukraine has reduced natural gas reserves in its underground storage facilities by 18%, or 3.069 bcm.

In addition, according to PJSC Ukrtransgaz, the amount of gas taken from the company's underground gas storage facilities (UGS) on December 31 was highest during the current heating season, which was 118.1 million cubic meters, compared to 92.15 million cubic meters on December 31, 2014.

According to data from the gas transport system operators, Slovak gas imports on December 31 totaled 16.88 million cubic meters, Hungarian 0.51 million cubic meters and Polish 2.47 million cubic meters. No gas has been imported from Russia since November 26.

Ukraine began using gas from its underground facilities for the 2014/2015 heating season on October 20, 2014 with some 16.749 bcm of gas in stock, and stopped on April 10, 2015, with 7.609 bcm remaining.

Ukrtransgaz, 100% of which is owned by Naftogaz Ukrainy, operates the main gas pipeline system and has 12 underground storage facilities with an overall total capacity of 31 bcm.