Kiev  - Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko cancelled a trip to Moscow on Wednesday for last-ditch negotiations to avoid gas cuts by Gazprom on January 1 if Kiev fails to pay down a 2-billion dollar debt before midnight.

"There are enough specialists from (Ukraine's) Naftogaz undertaking negotiations in Moscow for the signing of a future gas contract," the Ukrainian government said in a statement to news agency Interfax.

Moscow  - Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will fly to Moscow on Wednesday in last-gasp talks to avoid gas cuts to Ukraine ahead of a midnight deadline set by Gazprom for the settlement of a 2-billion-dollar debt.

"The embassy confirms that Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is coming to Moscow on Wednesday for the final stage of the negotiations over Gazprom issues," Interfax news agency quoted Ukraine's embassy in Moscow as saying.

Moscow/Kiev - Ukraine's government on Tuesday ordered a pair of state banks to pay off a massive debt owed Russia, raising hopes of a breakthrough in a tense standoff between Kiev and the Kremlin over energy, and with European natural gas supplies hanging in the balance.

An order signed by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko made public early Tuesday evening instructed a pair of Ukrainian state- owned banks to loan funds necessary to cover the debt, estimated by Ukraine at one billion dollars and by Russia at two billion dollars.

Moscow  - Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom said Friday that its dispute with Ukraine over payments could cause disruptions in deliveries to Western Europe, a news agency reported.

Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said that Gazprom head Alexei Miller had notified Europe's largest clients that it could not rule out the possibility of a cut off, according to Itar-Tass.

At issue is the lack of progress in reaching agreement with Ukraine's Naftogaz over 2 billion dollars in non-payments for imports by Kiev, with a New Year's deadline looming with threatened cut-offs by Gazprom.

Gazprom supplies about one-quarter of the European Union's gas needs, 80 per cent of which is shipped through Ukraine.

Kiev - A gas main explosion in a Ukrainian apartment building buried dozens of residents Wednesday evening, leaving rescue workers racing against time to find survivors.

The apparent accident took place in a Soviet-era apartment building in Evpatoria, on the Black Sea shore of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.

Kiev  - A Ukrainian journalist hurled a shoe at a local politician Friday to protest against remarks concerning NATO.

The reporter in southern Ukraine's Odessa tossed his footwear at Oleh Soskin, an official presiding at the opening of a NATO information centre in the Black Sea port, the Interfax news agency reported.

Odessa-based Revizor, a website devoted to controversial regional news, reported the incident took place at the city's Ushansky University, where Soskin reportedly was giving a speech on the need for Ukraine to join NATO.