Russia started pumping gas to Europe through Ukraine today for the first time since a contract dispute halted supplies to many European countries nearly a week ago.

The row is still not fully resolved and, since the European Union brokered a deal last night, Moscow and Kiev have already started to bicker over how long the gas will take to reach European pipelines fed by Ukraine, and whether any gas is being lost en route.

Russia restarted supplies only after an EU-led monitoring mission was deployed to metering and compressor stations across Ukrainian territory to make sure that Kiev was not siphoning off gas.

"They have started. The gas has already reached Ukraine,” said Denis Ignatyev, a Gazprom spokesman, after Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister, gave the order last night to resume supplies at 0700 GMT.

NTV television showed a Gazprom official in Moscow on the phone ordering gas to be pumped towards the Balkans, Turkey and Moldova, with a technician replying: “I have received the order. We are implementing it."

European Union and Ukrainian officials have said that the gas will take between 24 and 36 hours to pass into waiting European pipelines, but this morning Gazprom contradicted this, insisting that the gas should arrive in Europe almost immediately.

"As soon as we start pumping the gas at the entry point, it should appear at the exit point,” a spokesman, Sergei Kupriyanov, said in a statement.

Mr Kupriyanov asserted that there was still gas in the pipelines, even though supply has been completely cut off since last Wednesday, and that this should ensure that gas supplies flow more quickly.

“Comments by Ukraine that 36 hours are needed from the arrival of transit gas from Russia into Ukraine’s gas network until it reaches Ukraine’s western border evoke disbelief and do not meet the current contract,” he said.

“From the start of supplies of Russian gas at the entry point into Ukraine’s gas transport system, the volume of gas exiting from the western border of Ukraine must correspond exactly to the quantity supplied.”

Europe depends on Russia for a quarter of its gas supplies and most of those volumes are shipped though Ukraine, a former Soviet republic whose pro-Western leaders have angered the Kremlin by seeking to join the NATO military alliance.

Russia cut off gas to Ukraine itself on January 1 after failing to reach agreement with Kiev on gas fees. A week later it also halted transit flows, saying that Ukraine was stealing gas intended for Europe. Kiev accused Moscow of using energy blackmail.

Despite yesterday's deal, Moscow is still not supplying gas for Ukraine itself because of their contract dispute, and Russian officials said that differences with Kiev over how to ensure transit to Europe could still create problems.

“Perhaps we can take a breath of relief. But we are staying on alert because there is no victory by far,” Martin Riman, the Industry Minister of the Czech Republic, wich holds the European Union’s presidency, told Czech television.

“The dispute at the beginning of the crisis is still unresolved. If the Ukrainians and the Russians remain entrenched in their positions, this could be again reflected on the European scale.”

Some 18 European countries suffered disruptions to their gas supplies, during a spell of exceptionally cold weather. Eastern Europe and the Balkans bore the brunt of the problems.

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