KYIV, Oct 9 - Ukraine has increased natural gas inventories in underground storage by 8.481 billion cubic meters (bcm) since the end of the previous heating season, to 16.581 bcm, according to operational data from Ukrtransgaz.

The inventories amounted to 8.1 bcm on March 22, at the end of the previous heating season.

The current inventories are 13.7% more than on October 7, 2016 (14.585 bcm), 5% more than on October 7, 2015 (15.789 bcm) and 1.5% less than on October 7, 2014 (16.715 bcm), according to Interfax-Ukraine calculations.