Russian President Vladimir Putin is promising not to create a gas crisis in Europe.
Speaking at a ceremony in Belgrade, Serbia marking the 70th anniversary of the former Yugoslavia's liberation from the Nazi's, Putin says Russia will not tolerate any attempts to "steal" gas from pipes that run through Ukraine.
Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine back in June amid a dispute over payments.
It's been suggested that without Russian natural gas flows, Ukraine might have to siphon-off gas flows transiting the country en route to Europe this winter.
Vladimir Putin said, if we see that our Ukrainian partners, just like in 2008, begin removing gas without permission from the export pipeline system, we, just like in 2008, will consecutively reduce the stolen volume at the cost of supplies.
Russia has been working on creating a so-called South Stream pipeline which would avoid Ukraine by running gas across the Black Sea.
