Ukrainian cabinet to be grilled over Russian gas deal

Politicians were today due to question government ministers on last week’s controversial gas deal with Russia, which the opposition claims will harm Ukraine’s economy and consumers.

Ukraine and Russia ended their raging dispute with a deal under which Ukraine will pay almost double what it had been paying for Russian gas.

Russia had wanted to quadruple the price – and under the deal its state-controlled gas monopoly Gazprom will sell gas meant for Ukraine to a middleman, the Rosukrenergo trading company.

Opposition leaders have complained the price is too high for its industries and eventually for private consumers.

They also said making Russia the sole supplier of gas to Ukraine endangered its energy security.