Ukraine pays less than 10% of gas debt so far, Gazprom says

Ukraine has started to pay off its $882-million debt for Russian gas, but not very much of it, Gazprom has said.

"Some payments are coming in, but these are so far drops in the ocean and at this rate it will be a very long time before it is paid in full," the Russian gas giant's spokesman, Sergei Kupriyanov, told Interfax.

Kupriyanov said that Ukrainian oil and gas company Naftogaz had paid $50 million on October 30, $9 million on October 31, $10 million on November 1 and $6.2 million on November 4. The $6.2 million is still on its way, and more is expected on November 5.