$user_id = ***;
            $request_params = array(
                    'user_id' => $user_id,
                    'fields' => 'counters',
                    'v' => '5.60'
            );
            $get_params = http_build_query($request_params);
            $result = json_decode(file_get_contents('https://api.vk.com/method/users.get?'. $get_params));
            //echo ($result[0])
            //echo ($result -> response[0] -> counters[0] -> friends);
            print_r($result);
            echo '<br><br><br>';
            print_r($result -> response[0] -> counters -> friends);