KIEV, Nov. 8 - President Viktor Yanukovych on Friday denied recent speculation that he has agreed to hike natural gas prices for households following pressure from the International Monetary Fund.

“The IMF’s demands to raise gas prices for the population will not be accepted under any circumstances,” Yanukovych said in a statement posted by his press service. "We will never allow measures which cause people to suffer and which adversely affect the financial state of our population.”

Yanukovych has for years refused to allow gas price hikes amid concern this would erode his popular support ahead of the March 2015 presidential election.