About One Billion Dollars Return to Russia Annually

About one billion dollars as repayment of debts of other countries return to Russia annually, said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, addressing Duma deputies.

According to him, the government seeks to restructure and reduce other countries' debts to Russia.

At the same time, he noted, a number of countries "have sanctions imposed on them and refuse politically to repay their debts." When replying to the question about Cuba's debt to Russia, Kudrin remarked that "Cuba has submitted to Russia a list of grievances over Russia's pullout of military bases and cuts in construction of facilities." "The list of Cuba's claims exceeds its debts to Russia," the vice-premier emphasised. In his view, "this was done deliberately to avoid debt repayment." Cuba's debt to Russia has been recognised internationally, it is properly registered, and outstanding, Kudrin noted. Each year penalties are added to Cuba's debt according to international rules. Kudrin hopes that sooner or later "it will come to Cuba repaying its debts."