Moscow - At least seven people were killed in a crash in the Altai mountains of a helicopter that was flying high-ranking Russian officials on a hunting outing, reported the government of the Russian Republic of Altai on Sunday.
The report cited by Interfax news agnecy stated that among those killed in the craft owned by Russian gas monopoly Gazprom was Alexander Kossopkin, the country's presidential representative in the Duma (parliament).
Previous reports of eight dead and three survivors were revised to seven dead when a fourth person was found injured. A co-pilot was among the survivors.
Moscow/Kiev - Ukraine joined Russia to approve a European Union initiative for international observers to monitor Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine, raising hopes of a possible end to a Kremlin embargo on energy supplies to Europe.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko signed the deal early Sunday, Interfax news agency reported.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, arrived in Ukraine on Saturday evening in an attempt to get Kiev to sign a deal aimed at ending Russia's natural gas embargo to Europe.
Moscow - Russian energy monopoly Gazprom said Saturday that it had resumed "to a minimal extent" gas deliveries via Ukraine after days of leaving the taps turned off over a payment dispute.
The move was to be understood as a "gesture of good will," Gazprom head Alexei Miller said Saturday in Moscow during a meeting with European energy firms, Interfax news agency reported.
Gazprom said the gas was intended for the hardest hit countries in the Balkans that were suffering from the blockade.
Bratislava - Slovakia has gas for some 15 days owing to natural gas supplies from European gas firms, officials said Saturday as a shutdown of Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine continued for the fourth day.
A Slovak Economy Ministry spokesman said that the country boosted its supplies by some 7.2 million cubic metres from reserves of Gaz de France and the German firm E. ON Ruhrgas.
Slovakia is fully dependent on Russian gas arriving via Ukraine.
Kiev - Ukraine will send Bulgaria and Moldova gas from its own reserves, according to a statement Saturday from the office of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.
The two Balkan nations will receive two million cubic metres of gas per day beginning Saturday, according to the statement.
The decision once effective will re-open supplies to Bulgaria and Moldova after a partial Russian cut-off beginning in early January, becoming a total shut-off on Thursday.
Munich - Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has begun talks with Germany on creating western Europe's biggest gas storage site in a bed of rock on the German coast of the Baltic Sea, a news magazine said Saturday.
Gazprom would be able to feed gas to the site through the planned Nord Stream pipeline under the sea which it is building in a joint venture with German gas companies. The past week's halt in supply via Ukraine has highlighted the issue.
Moscow - Russian energy monopoly Gazprom said Saturday that it had resumed "to a minimal extent" gas deliveries via Ukraine after days of leaving the taps turned off over a payment dispute.
Bratislava - Slovakia has gas for some 15 days owing to natural gas supplies from European gas firms, officials said Saturday as a shutdown of Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine continued for the fourth day.
Kiev - Ukraine will send Bulgaria and Moldova gas from its own reserves, according to a statement Saturday from the office of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.
Munich - Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has begun talks with Germany on creating western Europe's biggest gas storage site in a bed of rock on the German coast of the Baltic Sea, a news magazine said Saturday.
