国际英语新闻：Belarus to stop supply to Europe in "gas war" with Gazprom

He, meanwhile, said his country had found money and would pay for the Russian gas "soon," but the money was borrowed from his friends since the country had no free money to pay off the debt.

Belarusian state gas company Beltransgaz earlier on Tuesday said it would siphon off Russian gas supplies to Europe for its own need, the RIA Novosti reported, citing Belta agency.

The move followed Russian Gazprom's further cut of gas supplies to Minsk on Tuesday by 30 percent, up from Monday's slash of 15 percent, over the debt of some 200 million dollars for gas Belarus consumed.

However, according to a spokeswoman from Belarusian Energy Ministry, full transit of Russian gas to Europe through Belarus had not stopped.

Lyudmila Zenkovich said Belarus did not tap gas from its transit pipeline but had to switch a number of its power plants to reserve fuel.

Belarusian Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk also said the transit was still working, and the suspension was being worked on.