Minsk - The volume of Russian natural gas transiting Belarus en route to European customers has increased by one-quarter, a Belarusian official told the Belapan news agency on Thursday.

The Russian natural gas monopolist Gazprom added 25 million cubic metres of gas sent through Belarusian pipelines over December volumes, according to the report.

The Gazprom increase was reportedly an intentional but nonetheless insufficient compensation for shipping volume potentially lost by the Russian company due to an embargo on gas shipments it imposed on Ukraine as a result of a pricing and payment dispute.

Gazprom during winter months sends European consumers some 300 million cubic metres of gas a day via pipelines crossing Ukraine. The Thursday embargo once in effect will reduce volumes sent by Russia along the route from 390 million cubic metres, to 300 metres, Gazprom officials said.

Ukraine was highly likely to divert some of the gas meant for Europe to its own market - illegal siphoning according to the Russians and fair compensation for sending the remainder of the gas onward to Europe according to the Ukrainians.

The natural gas transport pipeline network carrying Gazprom gas to market is concentrated in Ukraine, with small branches cutting across Belarus and the Baltic states. It was built almost wholly during the Soviet era.

Gazprom in recent weeks has moved to increase export capacity via the Belarusian network to Europe, taking a 25 per cent stake in the Belarusian national gas pipeline company, and offering Belarus natural gas at subsidised prices.

Belarusian gas consumption is miniscule by European market standards, with some 22 million cubic metres of Gazprom capacity going to Belarusian consumers daily during Winter months, the Interfax news agency reported. (dpa)