Russia’s Gazprom buys about 55 billion cubic metres of Central Asian gas annually and resells it mostly to Ukraine. KazTransGas, the Kazakh state gas pipeline company, said in a statement the new fee would remain in place for at least one year.

Reuters had reported the increase on 25 January, citing a source in state oil and gas company KazMunaiGas, Reuters reported.

Gas supplies from Central Asia help Gazprom, the world’s largest gas producer, cover demand in the former Soviet world as well as Europe to offset stagnant output in Siberia.

Both Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have raised prices for their gas this year. A spike in Turkmen gas prices has already led to a 38% price rise for Kiev, which is paying US$$179.50 per 1,000 cubic metres from the New Year.