MOSCOW, July 13 (AVN) - The Russian Finance Ministry started to meet its liabilities paying back food ration allowances to the servicemen of the Armed Forces, a source in the Defence Ministry's main department for the military budget and financing said on Thursday.
The indebtedness was created between 1996 and 1999. At present it makes over RUR5bn (about USD180m), the source told the Military News Agency.
RUR1,7bn (over USD61m) have been already transferred to the Defence Ministry accounts. According to the source, this will be enough to pay debts for 1996.
The Finance Ministry is planning to pay back all food ration debts by the end of 2000.