KYIV, Sept 14 - Ukraine is likely to accumulate 15 billion cubic meters of natural gas in underground gas storage facilities ahead of the winter, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Wednesday.

The new target is less than 19 Bcm of gas that the government has originally expected to accumulate by October 15, when high-demand season is due to begin.

Shmyhal said Ukraine has managed to secure additional natural gas supplies from the U.S. and from European countries during the winter, which has allowed the government to lower the target.