KIEV, June 8 - Ukraine resorted to a complicated domestic transaction involving money printing to help Naftogaz Ukrayiny pay for Russian natural gas imports in May, the office of President Viktor Yushchenko announced Friday.

Naftogaz, the troubled gas company, paid $657 million to Gazprom on Friday for May gas imports, averting crippling sanctions that Russia had threatened to impose.

Gazprom on Monday confirmed the payment.