KIEV, Feb. 23 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov on Thursday dismissed Russia’s threat to reduce to “zero” all natural gas shipments via Ukrainian gas pipelines by using alternative routes to Europe.

“Ukraine will find the way out of this situation,” Azarov said while on a trip to the Zhytomyr region. “Don’t worry about this.”

Azarov responded to comments by Sergei Kupriyanov, Gazprom spokesman, Wednesday that Russia will reduce to “zero” gas shipments via Ukraine after finishing and expanding alternative pipeline routes.