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CNN report on Russian sovereign debt default is false — Finance Ministry

Russia did not announce the default on its Eurobond commitments

Russian Finance Ministry Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

Russian Finance Ministry

© Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

MOSCOW, April 12. /TASS/. The report of the US-based CNN TV company about the Eurobond default allegedly announced by Russia is not true to facts, the Russian Finance Ministry said on Tuesday.

"Information posted by CNN is not true to facts. Russia did not announce the default on its Eurobond commitments. Default means the debtor either has no money to honor its debt liabilities or no desire to honor such liabilities when funds are available. Neither of the two is the case in point in respect of Russia. The Russian Federation has enough funds to timely service and repay all its debt liabilities," the Ministry said.

Prohibiting measures of the US authorities prejudiced interests of foreign investors in the first instance, the Finance Ministry noted. Obstacles to make payments, service and repay the Russian sovereign debt in foreign currency were created artificially and the restriction for the Russian public debt servicing can be viewed as the next default of foreign counterparties on their contractual obligations, the Ministry said. "All the possible claims of creditors related to this situation should be readdressed to authorities of states that unlawfully created obstacles to Russia’s performance of its debt obligations," it added.

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