Russia to cut off electricity in Belarus over debt

Russia will cut off electricity supplies to Belarus on Wednesday until Belarus repays its 1.2-billion ruble about ($43 million) debt, a spokesman for Russia's electricity export monopoly Inter RAO said on Tuesday. Russia prolonged until Tuesday morning the deadline for Belarus to pay off its electricity debt for April and May, threatening to cut off supplies if it does not, but no payment has been made, Russian (RIA Novosti) News Agency reported. The Belarusian electricity debt occurred because of the currency crisis which is hampering all transactions with foreign partners. Belarus says it has enough domestic currency. The problem is converting it into hard-to-find international currency.