KIEV, Dec. 3 - Ukraine will make a prepayment for 1 billion cubic meters of Russian gas on Wednesday or Thursday, Ukrainian Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said, as the deepening winter forces the country to rely for energy on its powerful neighbor, Reuters reported.

Russia, which cut off supplies to Ukraine in June because of a standoff over prices, has insisted that Ukraine pay for supplies in advance. So far, Kiev has not committed to new orders as a separatist conflict weighs on its flagging economy.