20 Jun 2022 17:17

Belarus pays for gas in Russian rubles, Jan-May fully paid up - energy ministry

MINSK. June 20 (Interfax) - Belarus is paying for Russian gas in full and has no outstanding debts to Gazprom [MOEX: GAZP], the Belarusian Energy Ministry stated on Monday.

"Since April 1, 2022, our payments for the natural gas delivered to the Republic have been duly made in Russian rubles. As of June 20, Belarusian gas-supply organizations have ensured full payments to Gazprom Transgaz Belarus for the natural gas delivered in January-May 2022 in accordance with the contractual deadlines," the statement said.

"The information circulated on certain Telegram channels about the Belarusian side delaying payments for the Russian gas is untrue."

Belarus has switched to ruble payments for gas since April. Before that, it paid in US dollars. A contract signed late last year sets the price for Belarus at $128.52 per 1,000 cubic meters in 2022.

Belarus has previously said that the price was set in Russian rubles from April for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, neither side has actually stated the price in rubles.

According to some Belarusian media reports, experts reckon that the sharply strengthened ruble led to a substantial increase in April-May of the real cost of gas for Belarus in comparison with the contract price in dollars.