Confrontation with Russia has already cost Kyiv $8.3 bln - Ukrainian finance minister

KYIV. May 13 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukraine has been forced to spend 245.1 billion hryvni, or $8.3 billion, on the confrontation with Russia instead of the development of Ukraine itself, Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko said.

Marchenko said in comments to Reuters that this money has been drawn from some funds initially budgeted for development, but has been spent on defense and social support of internally displaced persons instead.