Gazprom spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov today briefed the media on the latest developments:

• The Ukrainian side has not agreed to the needed transit volume for the next 24 hours.  Gazprom requested Ukraine ship 303 million cubic meters (mcm) to Europe on 3 January but Ukraine has only agreed to ship 296 mcm. 
• Kuriyanov stated that Ukraine has illegally siphoned 21 mcm of gas since Thursday.
• Gazprom has increased supplies through its other pipeline route to Europe, Belarus, which normally handles about 20 percent of Russia's gas shipments to European customers. 
• As Ukraine does not recognise the validity of its transit contract with Russia, the two sides are agreeing what volumes to ship to European customers on a day-by-day basis.
• Gazprom expects to receive most of the arrears owed by Ukraine by 11 January, though $614 million will still be outstanding.
• The Ukrainian negotiating team remains in Kiev and has not stated when it plans to return to Moscow for further negotiations.