KIEV, Jan. 29 – President Viktor Yushchenko has said that Russia has triggered the gas conflict to put the Ukrainian gas transportation system under the control of Gazprom.

"In other words, to repeat, what has been done in the gas transport systems of Moldova and Belarus in recent years. Obviously, there exists a similar plan for the Ukrainian gas transport system to be put under the control of Gazprom," he said in an interview with the Euronews TV Channel, which was broadcast in the early hours on Thursday.