Russia's Gazprom has boosted gas transit to the European Union through the territory of Ukraine by 25%, by 60 million cubic meters (mcm) per day, JSC Ukrtransgaz has reported.

This is related to a halt for repairing two lines of Nord Stream.

According to the operator of Ukraine's gas-transport system, nominations for the transit of gas at the Uzhgorod station were 300.2 mcm per day as of the morning of July 17. Transit to Slovakia is thus at 99% of capacity.

"Ukraine's existing free gas-transit capacity allow for additional volumes of gas equivalent to the maximum of Nord Stream 2 and a hypothetical Nord Stream 3 together to be pumped to European countries," Ukrtransgaz said.

Commenting on Gazprom's closure of a Nord Stream branch for repairs, Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Andriy Kobolev said that the flexibility of the Ukrainian transit system is one more reason that European customers should think about the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine.

"This is one more reason for European customers to thoroughly weigh what's more advantageous: using the reliable above-ground infrastructure of the Ukrainian gas-transit system or investing in the construction of underwater pipelines that are difficult and expensive to repair, don't have the proper redundancy, and are fully dependent on the Kremlin's political whims," Kobolev wrote on Facebook.