KIEV, July 28 - Russia has unexpectedly and steeply reduced supplies of its natural gas to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines, leaving Naftogaz Ukrayiny scrambling to prevent gas flow disruptions.

Andriy Kobolev, the head of Naftogaz Ukrayiny, said Russia may be trying to promote its planned Nord Stream-2, a gas pipeline to Germany, which would eliminate the need of gas shipments via Ukraine.

"Transit volumes dropped even more,” Kobolev said in an interview with Channel 5 television late Wednesday. “The volumes are record low now.”