KIEV, Nov. 10 - Ukrainian oil refineries are working at only 34% capacity, while the world figure is 81.5%, TNK-BP Commerce (Kiev) Vice President for Sales, Trading and Logistics Olena Alekseyeva said at the third international Petroleum Ukraine conference in Kiev on Thursday.

According to Alekseyeva, the low level of operations at the Ukrainian plants is related to a lack of state support.

"The role of the state in regulating the oil industry is very important. It's no secret that oil refining in the Customs Union states (Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan) is subsidized by the state through setting various export duties on oil and various fuel types. As a result, the markets in the countries are provided with their own fuel," said Alekseyeva.