Russia Cuts Power to Belarus




(Moscow, Russia) Effective a mere couple hours ago,

Russia cut off electricity supplies to Belarus at midnight on Wednesday until Belarus fully repays its 1.2-billion ruble ($43 million) debt, Russia's electricity export monopoly Inter RAO said.

Russia has prolonged until Tuesday evening 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.

"As of 10.00 p.m. Moscow time (18:00 GMT) no payment for electricity was made...We confirm that from June 29, at 00:00 Moscow time (June 28, 20:00 GMT) we completely cut electricity supplies to Belarus. We are waiting for Belarus to make the next payment in the next few days," an Inter RAO official told RIA Novosti.

Russian authorities say there's no politics involved. I'm sure.