Moscow, July 13 (Petra) -- Russia's Energy Ministry said on Monday that the country's natural gas exports to the European Union increased by about 18% during the first half of the year.

In a statement, the ministry said the European Union imported more than 9.89 million tonnes of Russian natural gas over the six months.

It added that Russian gas exports delivered through pipelines rose by 5% compared with the same period last year.

The ministry said Russia remains a reliable energy supplier to international markets and is seeking to expand its market share in the coming years.

//Petra// AF