KIEV, Aug. 13 – Russia has signed amendments to an agreement on supplies of pipes from Ukraine to the Customs Union states, foreseeing duty-free supplies of 150,000 tons of Ukrainian steel pipes in the second half of 2012 to the country, said Valeriy Muntiyan, the Ukrainian government's envoy for cooperation with Russia, CIS member countries, the Eurasian Economic Community and other regional associations.

"This gives a chance to maintain the sector and retain 50,000 jobs," he said at a press conference in Kiev on August 13, 2012, reminding that the agreement guarantees annual export inflows of over $300 million.