Russia Tries to Freeze Ukrainians to Death -- Cuts Gas Supplies in the Dead of Winter

Petro thug Vladimir Putin is not playing games.

Russian gas monopoly Gazprom said it cut all gas supplies to Ukraine on Thursday morning after talks broke down over payments for past shipments and a price for 2009.

Gazprom spokesman Igor Volobuyev said the cuts began as planned at 10 a.m. (2 a.m. ET) Thursday.

There are fears that a cutoff could lead to a repetition of a January 2006 gas crisis. Then, a similar dispute between Russia and Ukraine briefly interrupted gas shipments to many European countries. Ukraine controls the pipelines through which Russia supplies most of its customers in Europe.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has warned Ukraine against diverting gas intended for other customers, saying that could have "quite serious consequences for the transit country itself" by damaging relations with Europe.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has angered the Kremlin through his efforts to build ties to Western Europe and his support of Georgia in its August war with Russia.

Ukraine's position in the dispute is further complicated by divisions in the country's leadership. Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, bitter political rivals, are at odds over gas policy and relations with Russia, among other issues.