FRANKFURT, Aug 28 - European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said on Thursday the bloc was seeking to fill its gas storage facilities and de-escalate a row between Ukraine and Russia in order to safeguard its own gas shipments from Russia in the 2014/15 winter, Reuters reported.

Ukraine warned Europe on Wednesday Russia could cut off gas to the continent this winter, but Moscow said the supplies would continue regardless of the political situation.