Poland receiving some 24 percent less natural gas from Russian than contracted

WARSAW, Poland – Poland's gas monopoly says deliveries of natural gas from Russia have dropped by some 24 percent this week.

Spokesman Rafal Pazura said Wednesday that the company, called PGNiG, is asking Russian supplier Gazprom whether the drop is due to "technical or trade" issues.

The reduction of deliveries arriving through Ukraine and Belarus comes at a time of conflict in Eastern Ukraine between Ukraine's army and Moscow-backed rebels. Poland supports the Ukraine authorities.

PGNiG said in a statement that on Monday supplies were 20 percent below the contracted amounts. On Tuesday they were 24 percent too low.

The company said it was making up for the shortfall with gas from other sources.

Last year, Poland bought some 8.9 billion cubic meters of Russian gas, covering about 60 percent of its needs.