Russia cuts electricity supply to Belarus

The Belarusian power utility Belenergo failed to repay its $1.5 billion debt, accrued since March this year, by the deadline on June 8.

"Our Belarusian colleagues had not transferred the money by the end of the working day [on Wednesday,]" the source said.

Belenergo stopped paying for Russian electricity supplies in March and both companies held several rounds of negotiations on debt repayment deferment. Belenergo continued to accrue debts as Belarus was hit by a severe currency crisis that paralyzed domestic companies' settlements with foreign partners.

Russia's Kommersant business daily said on Wednesday that Inter RAO could decide to keep limited electricity supplies to Belarus for 10 days, and eventually halt power exports to the ex-Soviet republic, unless Minsk starts debt repayment.

Russia's power supplies to Belarus, however, account for only 10 percent of Belarus' electricity consumption and the country, ruled by strongman Alexander Lukashenko, was able to do without Russian electricity last year; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.