Transit of Russian gas through Ukraine without a contract with Gazprom is unrealistic, but if gas continues to flow into the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS), it will accumulate in underground gas storage facilities (UGS) as gas of an unidentified owner for further proceedings, CEO of Naftogaz Ukrainy Andriy Kobolev believes.

"I don't know legal constructions that allow, without a contract for gas transportation, especially when this transportation takes place at different borders, transporting gas without having a contract," he said on the air of the Svoboda Slova (Freedom of Speech) program on ICTV Channel.

According to him, in criminal law such deliveries will be interpreted as smuggling.

Kobolev added that it would also be difficult to implement them technically, since in the absence of a shipper or an identified destination, it will not be clear where to direct the gas – to Romania, Poland, Slovakia, or Hungary.

"It's hard for me to imagine that Gazprom will do this," he said.

At the same time, he noted that if Russian gas continues to be supplied to the Ukrainian gas transmission system, the new independent Ukrainian operator will have no other choice but to pump it into UGS as gas of an unidentified owner and then clarify the situation.

"It [this gas] will not be stolen, taken away, but simply stored temporarily in Ukraine until its legal regime is determined. Therefore, I do not believe in gas transportation without a contract," Kobolev said.

Commenting on gas talks in the framework of the Normandy Four in Paris, Kobolev said that, according to information known to him, so far no agreements had been reached.