KIEV, Jan. 8 - Inflation in Ukraine accelerated to 0.5% in December after slowing to 0.2% in November, the State Statistics Service reported.

According to the service, consumer prices for food and soft drinks in December compared to November 2013 increased by 0.8%. The prices of vegetables and sugar grew by 11.2% and 8.4% respectively. The prices of milk, butter, sour cream, cheese were up by 2.8-1.4%. At the same time, prices for eggs, rice, sunflower oil, fruits were down by 4.0-1.4%, fish, meat, pasta and fat – by 0.5-0.2%.

The increase in prices for alcoholic drinks, tobacco products by 1.2% last month was due to the rise in the price of tobacco goods by 2.0%.