KIEV, June 14 (RIA Novosti) - Naftogaz, Ukraine's national oil and gas company, secured a loan to repay its $600 million debt to trading company RosUkrEnergo, the country's fuel and energy minister said Wednesday.
Rosukrenergo, a Russian-Swiss joint venture and the sole supplier of Russian and Central Asian gas to Ukraine, was the key company in a deal to end a bitter price row early this year between Ukraine and Russia.
"Naftogaz has secured the first tranche of the $200 million loan to repay its debt to RosUkrEnergo," Ivan Plachkov said. "I think the money has already been transferred."
Plachkov said Naftogaz was planning to secure another loan worth $300 million. He also said Naftogaz and RosUkrEnergo had agreed on restructuring older debts worth $100 million.
The minister said Naftogaz' total debt for natural gas stood at $700 million.
