Russia allocates a credit to Ukraine

Russia is to give Ukraine a $225m loan to pay for the completion of reactors for the Rivnenskaya and Khmelnitskaya nuclear power stations. $120m will be allocated over the next two years in the form of equipment for the new reactors, and $105m will be allocated in the form of nuclear fuel for the reactors. The credit will be allocated for 16 years at a 6% interest rate. The first credit repayment will be due in six years, Ria-Novosti announces. Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma spoke of the credit at a meeting with employees of the Chernobyl nuclear power station and called it "favorable for Ukraine."