According to the publication, citing its sources, Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov at a meeting with Russian President Putin will demand raising the price of its gas from $65 to $85 per 1,000 cubic meters.

"And this will automatically lead to a price increase for gas for Ukraine — after all, it is precisely Turkmen fuel that is intended for this country," note "Vedomosti".

A representative of the Turkmen embassy in Moscow told "Vedomosti" that "taking into account world prices for energy resources, we consider it fair to adjust the gas price to $75-85 per 1,000 cubic meters".

A representative of "Gazprom" could not comment on this information, but assured "Vedomosti" that the monopoly contracted 30 billion cubic meters of gas in Turkmenistan for 2006 at a price of $65 per 1,000 cubic meters.

The publication was unable to obtain comments from "Turkmennaftogaz".

But in the Turkmen embassy they give different information: "Turkmenistan may sell to 'Gazeksport' in Q1 2006 half of the contracted gas volumes at a price of $65 per 1,000 cubic meters, and it was proposed to agree on the price of the remaining 15 billion cubic meters additionally."

Meanwhile, this fuel was intended for supplies to Ukraine through Rosukrenergo, write "Vedomosti".

"A price increase for 'Gazprom' is a matter of its relations with Turkmenistan," the head of "Naftogaz of Ukraine" Oleksiy Ivchenko told "Vedomosti", specifying that under the agreement of January 4 it is impossible to change the price unilaterally.

"Our side of the coin is $95 at the border of Ukraine with Russia, and we will not buy at any other price," he summarized.

If Turkmenistan manages to raise the price of its gas to $85 per 1,000 cubic meters, and the price for Ukraine remains at $95, supplies will become unprofitable, notes analyst of the United Financial Group Pavlo Kushnir.

Then, taking into account transportation, the cost of Turkmen gas at the border with Ukraine will approach $100 per 1,000 cubic meters, write "Vedomosti".

In 2006, Ukraine will consume 76 billion cubic meters of gas, of which 20 billion cubic meters are its own production.

The heads of "Gazprom" and "Naftogaz of Ukraine" on January 4 signed a contract under which "Gazprom" will pay Ukraine $1.6 per 1,000 cubic meters per 100 km for transit, and Ukraine agreed to purchase gas at the border with Russia in the first half of 2006 at $95 per 1,000 cubic meters.