KIEV, March 24 - Ukraine will issue state debt to raise 8.5 billion hryvnias that will be channeled to the capital of national energy company Naftogaz Ukrayiny, according to a government statement posted on Thursday.

The debt issue was authorized by the Cabinet of Ministers on March 11, the same day when the government had approved Naftogaz’s financial plan that anticipates 8.5 billion hryvnias gap in 2011.