Russia to continue cash injection to Ukraine, will receive $2 billion this week

MOSCOW – Russia's finance minister says Moscow will provide a fresh cash injection to Ukraine after several weeks of stalled payments to Kiev.

Anton Siluanov said that Ukraine would receive $2 billion (1.46 billion euros) this week. After Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych shelved an agreement to deepen ties with the European Union, Russia promised Kiev a $15 billion loan.

Moscow has only disbursed $3 billion so far, and last week Siluanov said Russia wanted to ensure Ukraine would "make good on (its) obligations" before transferring the cash. Russia showed increasing impatience as Yanukovych failed to disperse protesters who were camped out in government buildings in the Ukrainian capital.

On Sunday, however, demonstrators ended their nearly three-month occupation of the buildings in exchange for the release of jailed protesters.