Belarus, Russia tangle over gas

MINSK, Belarus — Belarus said Wednesday that it had paid off its entire gas debt to Russia, and warned it would stop the transportation of Russian gas across its territory to other European countries unless Moscow settles its debts to Belarus by today.

The two former Soviet neighbors’ energy dispute escalated Wednesday after Lithuania said its Russian gas supplies, which move through Belarus, had been cut by 30 percent.

Russia has been closing down gas deliveries to Belarus over what it claims is a nearly $200 million debt for earlier supplies.