Gazprom says Ukraine taking gas above contract levels

MOSCOW Feb 2 (Reuters) - Ukraine is taking Russian gas at a pace of 60 billion cubic metres (bcm) a year, above its contracted levels, Gazprom said on Thursday amid reports of decreasing gas supplies to Europe.

"Ukraine is currently taking gas at the annual pace of 60 billion cubic metres, which is significantly above contracted levels," Gazprom's Deputy Chief Executive Alexander Medvedev said in a statement.

Last month, Ukraine announced plans to cut imports of Russian gas - saying it is too expensive for its economy - to 27 bcm this year from 40 bcm in 2011 and replace it with alternative energy sources such as coal.

Russia used to export around 80 percent of its gas to Europe through Ukraine before the launch of the 27.5-bcm-a-year Nord Stream pipeline last November. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by John Bowker)