VIENNA, Sept. 14 - The $500 million in financial assistance that Ukraine will receive from the European Union will be used to purchase gas from Gazprom, Alexei Miller, the CEO of the Russian gas giant, told journalists.

"The $500 million will definitely go to purchase gas from Gazprom," he said.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said during an interview on Channel One that financial aid in the amount of $500 million will be allocated as a targeted loan. The funds will be sent to a special account of Gazprom as a prepayment for gas. For this sum, Ukraine will be able to pump 2 billion cubic meters of gas into its underground storage in September and the first half of October.