KIEV, May 7 - A major Ukrainian natural gas pipeline was hit by an explosion on Monday potentially jeopardizing supplies of gas from Russia to the European Union, Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the state-owned oil and gas company, reported.

The damaged section of the pipeline, known as Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod, was shut immediately after the explosion, Naftogaz said. Other pipelines were used to re-route supplies of Russian gas to make sure that total gas deliveries to the E.U. remain unaffected, an official at Naftogaz said.