London, Jan. 14 : Russia has been accused of trying to ''trick'' the European Union after gas supplies delivered through Ukraine were turned off again.

On Tuesday, Gazprom announced that normal service had been resumed of supplies to Ukraine. But within three hours EU officials announced that "little or no" gas was getting through.

Both Russia and Ukraine then blamed each other for a failure to reopen pipelines and the uneasy EU-brokered truce disintegrated as both sides traded accusations.

Russia''s state gas monopoly Gazprom claimed Ukraine was stealing gas meant for Europe and taking orders from the United States in the crisis.

Ukraine accused Russia of sending the gas on impossible journey though incompatible pipelines and of using the crisis to try to wrest control of Ukraine''s vast pipeline network.

EU sources told The Daily Telegraph that the crisis is expected to escalate on Wednesday as European patience runs out with Russia.(ANI)