National Joint-Stock Company Naftogaz Ukrainy has repaid a UAH 8.1 billion debt to PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia for gas purchased from the mining company in 2014-2015, the press service of the state holding has reported.

According to the holding, the payment has fully covered the debt for 2014 in the amount of UAH 2.2 billion, included UAH 5.9 billion for 2015. Ukrgazvydobuvannia, in turn, reported that the debt of Naftogaz for 2015 has been reduced to UAH 7.6 billion.

"Naftogaz paid Ukrgazvydobuvannia for all the gas delivered to the population as of October 1, 2015 and some of the gas pumped into underground gas storage facilities (UGS) for the sale to the public in the heating period of 2015-2016," the state holding said.

At the same time, Ukrgazvydobuvannia has paid the royalty related to the gas delivered to the population in full. It is expected that Naftogaz and Ukrgazvydobuvannia will fully pay the accrued royalty for produced but not sold gas by the end of the year, and from January 2016 they will start paying the royalty in advance.