The new law, which was approved by the Ukrainian parliament on February 6, bans the restructuring of companies running major pipelines, except to establish enterprises that are 100% owned by the state.
It will be prohibited to transfer the property of pipeline operators and of national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy, its subsidiaries and gas storages, or to transfer their property from one balance to another, rent, lease or grant it in concession.
The law, which won 430 votes, with 226 needed for approval, also excludes bankruptcy proceedings against such enterprises.
The bill was forwarded by Western-leaning opposition forces, following proposals to consider merging the energy assets of Ukraine and Russia and the Russian leader's suggestion last Thursday that Ukraine could be granted access to Russian oil and gas fields if it agreed to a gas consortium.
Ukraine is an important transit country for Russian energy resources - 15% of Russian oil and more than 80% of its natural gas is pumped to Europe through Ukraine's pipelines.
Ukraine's gas pipelines stretch over 37,500 kilometers (23,306 miles), and include 71 pumping stations and 13 underground gas storage facilities holding 32 billion cubic meters.
The capacity of Ukrainian pipes leading from Russia to the European Union is 141 billion cubic meters per year.
