The aggregate state (direct) and state-guaranteed debt of Ukraine in December 2018 increased by 4.77%, or by $3.56 billion, to $78.32 billion, according to the website of the Ministry of Finance. In the national currency the state debt rose by 2.17% or UAH 46.15 billion, to UAH 2.169 trillion. In 2018, the total state (direct) and state-guaranteed debt in U.S. dollar terms increased by 2.46%, or by $2.02 billion, in hryvnias – by 1.26%, or by UAH 26.95 billion.
The Finance Ministry said that the public debt in December increased by 0.8%, to UAH 1.86 trillion (in U.S. dollars it increased by 3.36% to $67.19 billion), while the external debt decreased by 0.47%, to UAH 1.099 trillion (in U.S. dollars increased by 2.05%, to $39.71 billion).
In December 2018, state-guaranteed debt grew by 11.32%, to UAH 308.13 billion (in U.S. dollars it increased by 14.15%, to $11.13 billion), including external debt by 12.22% to UAH 297.81 billion (in U.S. dollars by 15.07%, to $10.76 billion).
The ministry also reported that the principal amount of public debt is denominated in U.S. dollars, 43.96%, another 29.13% in hryvnia, 16.59% in special drawing rights (SDR), and 9.21% in euros. In addition, less than 1% of government debt is denominated in Canadian dollars and yen.
The official hryvnia exchange rate, according to which the Ministry of Finance calculates the debt, in December strengthened to UAH 27.69/$1 from UAH 28.39/$1, or by 2.47%, whereas by the end of 2017 it was UAH 28.07/$1.
