RFERL: Putin: Gas Cuts To Europe Possible, Kyiv's Gas Cuts To East 'Genocide'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Ukraine faces a natural-gas cutoff that could leave Europe with shortages while saying Kyiv's suspension of gas supplies to separatist parts of eastern Ukraine "smells of genocide."

Putin said on February 25 that Russia hopes it will not halt the delivery of gas to Ukraine but it depends on Kyiv's "financial discipline."

Russian company Gazprom said it would stop sending gas to Ukraine on February 26 if Kyiv does not make a prepayment for more gas.

But Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz said earlier this week it had only received about half the gas it has paid for and would not pay for new supplies until it received all the gas it is due.

Gazprom said the missing gas was being sent to rebel-controlled parts of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions that were no longer receiving gas from Ukraine.

Read the full article from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty HERE