KIEV, June 30 - Ukraine and Russia averted showdown and gas supply disruptions July 1 after a last minute agreement to keep natural gas prices unchanged in the third quarter, Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said Friday.

The agreement, reached between RosUkrEnergo, which supplies gas to Ukraine, and Ukrgaz-Energo, a Ukrainian gas distributor, comes days before Gazprom has earlier threatened to increase gas prices at least 18.2%.