Ukraine owes the money because Crimea is now part of Russia
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev | Photo AP
Moscow: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday demanded Ukraine pay back $11 billion that he said Kiev had saved through discounted gas prices in return for hosting a Russian naval base in Crimea.
Ukraine owes the money because Crimea is now part of Russia and the two countries’ 2010 lease agreement was now “subject to annulment,” Medvedev said at a meeting of the Security Council.
“The Ukrainian state saved some $11 billion dollars and accordingly the Russian budget has a missed profit of the same $11 billion,” he warned.
Soon after coming to power in 2010, then president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, agreed to extend the lease on Russia's Black Sea fleet in Crimea that was due to expire in 2017 for 25 years, until 2042.
In return, Moscow agreed to cut natural gas prices for Ukraine by $100 for every 1,000 cubic metres. According to Moscow, Ukraine has been receiving the discount even though the new lease agreement was not to enter force till 2017.
( Source : AFP )
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