KIEV, Sept. 17 – The national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy has boosted its stockpile of natural gas in the underground gas storage facilities to 16 billion cubic meters, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said at a presentation of the draft national budget for 2009 on Tuesday.

"In fact, we have returned out underground gas storage facilities. This is the first year when we pump our own [the gas of Naftogaz] gas to underground gas storage facilities, rather than somebody else's gas. We have 16 billion cubic meters and it means we are going to the winter period without fears," Tymoshenko said.