Ukraine’s international reserves in January decreased by 4.9% to $38.5bn, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) said on Tuesday, 6 February.
The regulator said in a statement that such dynamics was caused by the NBU’s currency interventions to maintain exchange rate stability, as well as by Ukraine’s debt repayments in foreign currency and decreased international aid inflows compared to the previous months.
According to the regulator, the government’s foreign currency accounts with the NBU received $898.9m, including $512.1m from the placement of foreign currency bonds of the internal state loan, and another $386.8m from loans and grants from Japan, which came through the World Bank.
In turn, $441.6 million was needed to service and repay the state debt in foreign currency.
Earlier, the International Monetary Fund said that the absence of foreign aid would seriously harm Ukraine’s economy.