KIEV, July 17 - Ukraine plans to stash 28 billion cubic meters of natural gas in its underground gas tanks ahead of the high demand season to ensure steady gas transit from Russia to Europe, Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the national oil and gas company, said Thursday.

This amount of gas would also be enough to meet increased domestic demand during the winter, the company said.

“Reserves of natural gas in Ukraine’s underground gas tanks would be enough to guarantee steady supplies of gas during the winter season of 2008-2009,” Naftogaz said in the statement.