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Russia has no plans to demand Ukraine’s $3 billion bond early repayment — finance minister

The Ukrainian government accurately pays and they have repaid the second $75.5 million coupon income on time and in full according to the schedule, the Russian finance minister said

MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. Russia will not demand Ukraine’s $3 billion bond early repayment, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Friday.

By now, Ukraine has repaid Russia the second coupon of $75.5 million on time and in full, the finance minister said.

“The Ukrainian government accurately pays (on bonds) and they have repaid the second $75.5 million coupon income on time and in full according to the schedule,” the finance minister said.

Russia has no plans to demand Ukraine’s early repayment for this bond, the finance minister said.

The Russian finance minister said in September that the Finance Ministry did not rule out that the covenants on Ukraine’s Eurobonds might be breached in the third quarter.

The Ukrainian Eurobond issue prospectus includes covenants stipulating that Ukraine should meet all obligations on its sovereign debt on time.

One covenant says the Ukrainian government should not allow its debt-to-GDP ratio to rise above 60%

“As calculations show and considering the hryvnia devaluation, the 60% debt to GDP level has been exceeded,” Siluanov said, adding, however, the covenants would not be triggered automatically.

“This will be our political decision, a decision by the Russian Federation. We’ll look after the covenant is triggered to decide on how to act further,” the finance minister said.

Russia made a decision in late 2013 to invest up to $15 billion in Ukraine’s sovereign Eurobonds. Soon afterwards, Russia bought Ukraine’s first Eurobond tranche worth $3 billion with a two-year maturity and a coupon rate of 5% per annum and coupon payments every six months.

Russia has not invested the other $12 billion in Ukraine’s bonds.