KIEV, Sept. 4 - Ukraine plans to store up to 17.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas in its underground storage facilities by October 15 to ensure steady Russian gas supplies to Europe in the winter, the energy and coal industry ministry said Thursday.

The suggested amount is less than the 20 billion cu m that Russian gas giant Gazprom has repeatedly said over the past several years is needed to ensure steady gas transit to Europe via Ukrainian gas pipelines.

As of September 3, Ukraine accumulated 15.83 Bcm of natural gas in its underground storage facilities, according to GSE, a non-profit Brussels-based organization that provides energy statistics to the EU.