Brussels, 08/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, an explosion near the village of Louka (Ukraine) destroyed a thirty-metre section of the gas pipeline linking Urengoy (Russia) and Uzhgorod (on the Slovakian border) via Pomery. It is, however, unlikely to have any effect on supplies of Russian gas to the EU, which transit through Ukraine, Ferran Tarradellas, spokesman for Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said on Monday. “We have received guarantees from the Ukrainian authorities that the flow of gas will not be interrupted,” Mr Tarradellas added. Russian gas to the Community market has been re-routed through another pipeline, the authorities in Kiev announced on Tuesday. Russian company Gazprom has confirmed that its supplies to Europe were continuing as normal. Stating that the cause of the explosion was accidental, Mr Tarradellas also gave assurances that the Commission was following developments and was in contact with the Ukrainian authorities. (eh)