Moscow - Data released Wednesday by Russia's state-controlled Gazprom showed that it had increased exports to Europe despite EU efforts to reduce the bloc's dependence on Moscow.
Gazprom said it raised exports to Europe in the first half of the year to 80.8 billion cubic metres, a 2.5% increase from the same period last year ITAR-TASS news agency reported.
Exports to what Gazprom considers Western Europe, which includes Turkey but not central European members of the European Union, increased by 4.3% to 64.8 billion cubic metres.
Compiling the data from the tables, exports to EU nations totalled 67.9 billion cubic metres.
The boost came even as the EU took steps towards reducing its dependence on Russian gas as the Ukraine crisis has threatened to cut the flow of EU imports through that country.
The 28-nation bloc depends on energy imports for more than 50% of its needs, and roughly 40% of those imports are supplied by Russia.
In imposing economic sanctions on Russia over Ukraine the EU has taken care not hit the gas sector.