Rome: Russian gas deliveries to Italy were down about 90 per cent today as a result of Moscow's dispute with Ukraine over pricing, an official with Italian oil giant ENI told Sky24 television station.

"At 10:00 am, we were getting only 10 per cent of the quantities we normally get," an ENI spokesman said, adding that Italy depended on Russia for 30 per cent of its gas supplies.

According to the Ansa news agency, Russian energy giant Gazprom normally supplied ENI with some 60 million cubic metres of gas daily.

Earlier today, Italy's Economic Development Minister Claudio Scajola said that a drop in gas supplies from Russia due to its dispute with Ukraine had so far not caused any particular concern given high stock levels and relatively modest demand.

The minister said in a statement that measures would be taken to maximise deliveries from other countries such as Algeria, Britain, Holland, Libya and the Netherlands.

A special committee set up to oversee gas and energy supplies would likely meet soon, Scajola said in a statement which added that current stock levels would cover Italian demand "for several weeks."

Russia's Gazprom last week cut supplies to Ukraine, through which Europe gets much of its deliveries, following a protracted dispute over prices.

Several countries have now reported falling supplies just as a freezing cold snap has boosted demand for gas.

A similar dispute between Russia and Ukraine in 2006 led to disruption of supplies to Western Europe, which relies on Moscow for a quarter of its gas needs.

Source : PTI