April 28 Reuters Some European traders have started to pay Russia for gas sales in roubles, while large clients have yet to do so, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

Several traders, maybe more than five, have started payments, one source said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that countries he terms unfriendly must pay for gas in roubles or be cut off.

Under the new Russian payment system, buyers are obliged to deposit euros or dollars into an account at Gazprombank, which has then to convert them into roubles, place the proceeds in another account owned by the foreign buyer and transfer the payment in Russian currency to Gazprom.

The scheme was designed as a response to sweeping Western sanctions against Russia following the start of what Moscow calls its special military operation in Ukraine.

Gazprom and Gazprombank did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

The European Commission has accused Moscow of blackmail over its demand to be paid in roubles but in an advisory note issued last week, the Commission said buyers of Russian gas could participate in the scheme if they could confirm payment was complete once they had deposited euros, as opposed to later when the euros were converted to roubles.

Russia cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday after they refused to pay in roubles under the new arrangement…