KYIV, Oct 23 - Ukraine has increased natural gas inventories in underground storage 2.1-fold or by 8.85 billion cubic meters (bcm) since the end of the previous heating season, to 16.95 bcm, according to operational data from Ukrtransgaz.

The inventories amounted to 8.1 bcm on March 22, at the end of the previous heating season.

The current inventories are 15.6% more than on October 21, 2016 (14.66 bcm), 2.7% more than on October 15, 2015 (16.509 bcm) and 1.3% more than on October 21, 2014 (16.734 bcm), according to Interfax-Ukraine calculations.