KIEV, April 3 - Russia’s latest hike of natural gas prices for Ukraine is “unacceptable" and “politically motivated,“ and will prompt the country to seek imports from elsewhere, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan said Thursday.

Prodan reacted to Russia’s move to hike the gas price to $485 per 1,000 cu m earlier on Thursday, two days after hiking the price by more than 40% to $385/1,000 cu m.

“This is an unacceptable price for Ukraine,” Prodan said at a press conference in Kiev. “This is a political price.”