Ukraine siphoned off European gas -Gazprom

MOSCOW, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Ukraine siphoned off or held back a total of 50 million cubic of Russian gas intended for Europe on Jan. 3, the spokesman for Russian gas company Gazprom (GAZP.MM), Sergei Kupriyanov, said on Sunday.

"In total, over the past day European consumers have not received 50 million cubic metres," he told journalists.

Ukraine still owes Gazprom $614 million for gas supplies in 2008, Kupriyanov said. (Reporting by Tanya Mosolova and Christian Lowe, writing by James Kilner, editing by Toni Vorobyova)