Ukraine gas stocks down 14 percent since start of heating season

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's gas reserves have fallen 14 percent since the start of the heating season in late October, as deepening frosts forced the country to draw down its already depleted stocks, data from Ukrtransgaz showed on Friday. The state-run gas transport monopoly data showed there were 14.44 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in storages as of Nov. 26 compared with 16.75 bcm as of Oct. 20. Ukraine, which traditionally covers half its annual gas needs with flows from Russia, has been left without those supplies since mid-June due to a pricing dispute and unpaid debts. In October, the two sides reached an agreement that would restart flows for the winter, but Ukraine indicated it may hold off from prepaying for gas supplies in the hope that mild weather would help it eke out current reserves. This week, however, Ukrainian energy minister Yuri Prodan said an expected cold snap might prompt energy officials to review its position. Weather forecasters say that temperatures may fall to minus 20 in mid-December. (Reporting By Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Alessandra Prentice and David Evans)