Russia has denied allegations that it is using natural gas supplies as a means of blackmail.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that Moscow is a reliable supplier of energy.
Due to the blockade of Russian gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, according to the Russian side, these countries refused to pay in Russian currency, the ruble.
Peskov did not say how many countries have agreed to pay for gas in rubles, but said Russia introduced the new rule because of sanctions imposed by Western countries over its actions in Ukraine.
"This need is dictated by the fact that, as you know, a significant amount of our reserves have been blocked or - in other words - stolen. "Therefore, this is not about blackmail," Peskov said, giving a similar response to the EU, which accused Moscow of using gas to blackmail.
Peskov warned that other countries would have the same fate as Poland and Bulgaria to pay under the new system then gas supplies could be cut off.