KIEV, Aug. 19 - Russia may be preparing to halt its natural gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan said Tuesday.

He said Russian gas giant Gazprom accused Ukraine of siphoning off Russian gas in a recent telegram certifying gas transit volumes in July. Gazprom used the siphoning allegations in 2006 and 2009 to shut the gas transit to Europe via Ukraine.