KIEV, March 4 - Ukraine’s transit of Russian natural gas to Europe rose by 22.6% year-on-year to 23.3 billion cubic meters in January-February, up from 19 billion cu m a year ago, the state-owned natural gas shipping monopoly UkrTransGaz reported Tuesday.

UkrTransGaz released the transit figures to show its “constructive” position so far as natural gas dispute with Gazprom gas been rapidly deteriorating.