KIEV, March 26 – State direct and guaranteed debt in February grew by 1.9%, or $335 million, to $17.8 billion, according to the Finance Ministry.

The ministry said that since the start of the year, the state debt in hryvnias grew by UAH1.3 billion (1.5%) and in dollars by $260 million.

"The state foreign debt grew by $376 million, which was caused mainly by the receipt of a second loan worth $300 million on the development policy from the World Bank and an increase in the hryvnia exchange rate to the euro and Swiss frank," reads the report.