Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a plan to extend Moscow's current natural gas deal with Ukraine for another three months.
Russian authorities announced the extension Tuesday, just hours before a temporary pricing agreement reached late last year was set to expire.
The October 2014 deal required Ukraine to make monthly payments in advance of delivery, with Kyiv paying $365 per 1,000 cubic meters between January 2015 and March 31. Russian energy officials recently said Ukraine would pay $348 beginning April 1.