KIEV, Feb. 13 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said that the decision to give up intermediaries in the sale of Russian natural gas to Ukraine made during President Viktor Yushchenko's Tuesday trip to Russia is "a great victory" of her team.

"I believe this is a great victory of the democratic team and another step towards bringing the gas market in order, another step towards eradicating corruption in the energy sector," the premier said at a meeting of the government in Kiev on Wednesday.