Main news of January 2

RUSSIA

* Gazprom will receive a $1.5 billion payment from Ukraine for natural gas supplied in late 2008 on January 11, Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said

* Gazprom will sell natural gas to Ukraine at the European market price of $418 per 1,000 cu m in 2009, following Ukraine's rejection of a considerably lower price, the energy giant said

* Russian diplomats completed the evacuation of citizens from Russia and other Soviet republics from the Gaza Strip, which has been hit by massive Israeli airstrikes since Saturday

* A naval task force from Russia's Pacific Fleet led by the Admiral Vinogradov destroyer joined a Russian frigate on an anti-piracy mission off Somalia, a source in the fleet's headquarters said

* Deck-based aviation of Russia's heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov will hold exercises in the Greek airspace in January, the Greek National Defense General Staff said

WORLD

* The gas row between Russia and Ukraine did not lead to any decrease in Russian natural gas supplies to Germany, the German gas company E.ON Ruhrgaz said

* Russian natural gas was reaching Europe in full amounts a day after Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine in a contract dispute and toughened its stance on prices

* A naval force of the European Union thwarted the seizure of a Greek tanker by pirates off Somalia, the Greek merchant marine ministry said

* The national currency of Belarus was devalued by almost 20% against the U.S. dollar from January 2 amid the ongoing global financial crisis, the ex-Soviet republic's National Bank said