Turkmenistan cuts gas supplies to Russia, Ukraine

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Turkmenistan cuts gas supplies to Russia, Ukraine over price dispute

ASHGABAT (AFP) - The Central Asian republic of Turkmenistan said it had carried out a threat to cut gas supplies to Russia and Ukraine but was ready to turn the pumps back on in return for higher prices.

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Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially natural gas from Russia and Turkmenistan, to meet some 85 percent of its annual energy requirements.

Turkmenistan has insisted its demands are "not political" despite the timing of the supply cut less than a week after Yushchenko's victory in the elections, a major setback for Moscow that had backed his pro-Russian rival.

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Gazprom, the state-controlled Russian gas giant, meanwhile said it would continue to supply Ukraine but would not be able to make up the shortfall if Turkmenistan turned off the taps.

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