Rinat Akhmetov's DTEK energy holding owes around UAH 700 million to Vuhillia Ukrainy State Enterprise, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.

"There are several debtors: DTEK with UAH 700 million to Vuhillia Ukrainy and Centrenergo with around UAH 140 million," he said.

The minister added that the situation with payments with DTEK is a problem, while Centrenergo was to send the first payment on Wednesday.

"Negotiations with DTEK are complicated, and they do not agree to pay this debt. DTEK has certain conditions, but unfortunately, we cannot agree to them now," the minister said.

As reported, DTEK refuses to buy coal from state coalmines via Vuhillia Ukrainy and wants to buy coal directly from coalmines.