UPDATE 3-Russia's Medvedev wades into Ukraine polls
* Medvedev says Ukraine putting gas flows to Europe at risk
* No new ambassador to Kiev for now
* Moves aimed at January presidential election
(Adds context and analysis)
MOSCOW, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev waded into neighbouring Ukraine's presidential election campaign on Tuesday, attacking the incumbent as "anti-Russian" and urging the next leader to cooperate with Moscow.
In an open letter to Ukraine's pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko, Medvedev said he would postpone sending a new ambassador to Kiev, and accused Yushchenko of putting gas supplies to Europe at risk by disrupting ties with Moscow.
Ukraine, a former Soviet republic whose population is divided between pro-Western and Russia-leaning camps, elects a new president in January to succeed Yushchenko, swept to power in the 2004 Orange Revolution.
Disputes over Russian gas supplies to Ukraine have led to two disruptions in supplies to Europe in the past three years and to Western accusations -- denied in Moscow -- that Russia is using gas as a political weapon.
"We have the impression that Kiev consistently seeks to break traditional economic ties with Russia, first and foremost in the energy sector," Medvedev said in the letter posted on his website (www.kremlin.ru).
"As a result, the stable use by our countries of what is effectively a single gas pipeline network serving the energy security of Russia, Ukraine and many European states has been put at risk," Medvedev wrote.
"... on account of the anti-Russian course of the Ukrainian leadership, I have decided to postpone sending our new ambassador to Ukraine."
There was no immediate reaction from Yushchenko but Ukraine's acting foreign minister, Volodymyr Khandohyi, said the letter "has reached the president and it is being studied".
Yushchenko's political rival Viktor Yanukovich, who heads the biggest party in parliament, said Moscow would not see any improvement in relations while Yushchenko was in power:
"The first thing we will do on taking power is to revive normal, good neighbourly, equal and mutually beneficial relations with our strategic partner Russia."
Analysts said Medvedev's blunt message was timed to influence the campaign for Ukraine's presidential vote on Jan. 17. Continued...
