MOSCOW, July 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Central Bank said Wednesday the new 5,000-ruble bill would enter circulation on July 31, 2006.

The banknote's design will continue the 1997 "Russian cities" series with images of the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk.

Georgy Luntovsky, the bank's first deputy chairman, said the launch of the note "reflected the economic situation in Russia, characterized today by growth in the population's income."

He also said the issue of the 5,000-ruble bill would help reduce the number of fake banknotes.