KIEV, July 27 - Ukraine will accelerate imports of European natural gas beginning in August to fill its reserves as Russian gas imports remain suspended, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said Monday.

“Starting August 1 we plan to receive about 40 million cubic meters of gas per day from Europe,” Demchyshyn said at a press conference.

The comment shows that Ukraine plans to use the full throughput capacity of gas pipeline route that delivers gas from Slovakia.