sentences:  In 1997, UESU formed a consortium that was responsible for supplies of natural gas to Ukraine from Russia.By 1996 and 1997, UESU was the biggest gas trading company in Ukraine and had branched out into other areas.In early 1997, it controlled several banks, had stakes in metallurgy and machine building companies and in two airports; participated in Bulgarian and Turkish pipelines; and controlled several local and national newspapers.