MOSCOW, February 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign debt, including the former Soviet debt, dropped by 8.8% or $3.9 billion year-on-year to $40.5 billion in 2008, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
The country's debt to the Paris Club stood at $1.4 billion as of January 1, 2009, while its debt to creditors outside the club totaled $1.9 billion.
Russia's debt to the former members of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance amounted to $1.4 billion, with former Soviet debts to foreign commercial creditors, subject to verification, at $1.2 billion as of January 1, 2009.
As of the start of the year, the Russian debt to international lending establishments stood at $4.5 billion, its Eurobond debt totaled $27.7 billion, and its sovereign bond debt amounted to $1.8 billion.
Russian foreign loan guarantees reached $0.6 billion in early 2009.
