Ukraine Suspends Gas Payments to Russia

Ukraine is suspending payments to Russia for gas deliveries until the conclusion of price talks, chief executive Andriy Kobolev said on Saturday.

State-run Naftogaz has suspended payments to Russia amid increasing tensions in a standoff that has the potential to leave European Union states cut off from the Russian gas supplies on which they depend, according to international media reports.

Russia has raised the gas price for Ukraine and claimed it owed Moscow USD 2.2B in unpaid bills. Ukraine gets about half of its gas supply from Moscow and a large proportion of Europe's gas comes from Russia via Ukraine.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the country could cut off gas to Ukraine, thus potentially threatening European supplies, however later toned down the threat.

Meanwhile, in Eastern Ukraine, a group of pro-Russian armed activists in camouflage outfits seized a police station in the town of Slaviansk.

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