Italy sees no risk to Russian gas imports for now

MILAN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Italy's natural gas imports from Russia, a major supplier, are not at risk at present, Italy's outgoing industry minister Pierluigi Bersani said on Thursday after Moscow threatened to cut supplies to Ukraine over debt.

"There is no threat for our gas imports from Russia," Bersani said in a statement.

Italy's nearly 9 billion cubic metres operating gas stocks were 53 percent full, while strategic reserves worth 5.1 bcm were intact the statement said.

Russia's gas export monopoly Gazprom (GAZP.MM: Quote, Profile, Research) threatened on Thursday to halt gas supplies to Ukraine from Feb. 11 unless Kiev fails to settle its debt.

(Reporting by Svetlana Kovalyova)