Ukraine accused of stealing Russian gas as fuel flow declines  •
Kiev insists it is honouring transit supply agreement • Pipeline
pressure starts to fall in neighbouring states  Russia upped the
ante in the "gas war" with Ukraine yesterday, accusing its
former Soviet neighbour of stealing millions of dollars' worth
of transit supplies, as the dispute left some European countries
starting to experience reduced flow of fuel.  Gazprom, Russia's
state energy group, cut natural gas deliveries to Ukraine on 1
January after a long dispute over unpaid bills and prices for
this year's supplies.  Moscow and Kiev have promised that flows
through the same pipeline network to European consumers
including Britain will not be disrupted.  But last night
Romania, Hungary and Poland said pressure in their pipelines had
started to fall because of the dispute. Romania's state-
controlled pipeline operator, Transgaz, said gas imports had
dropped by up to 40% from normal levels.  The new holder of the
EU presidency, the Czech Repub