KIEV (Sputnik) — "Ukraine is ready to defend itself against any claim that may be brought against it, and is confident in all the circumstances of doing so successfully," the statement read Monday.
The two-year Eurobond secured in 2013 by the government of then-President Viktor Yanukovych matured on December 20 but Kiev had a 10-day grace period to repay the debt and not to be in default.
In late December, the Ukrainian prime minister said Kiev had introduced a moratorium on the repayment of the country's loan to Russia.
The Russian Finance Ministry announced on December 31 that Ukraine defaulted as it had missed the deadline.
Russia disagrees with Ukraine's stance that the bond is part of an external commercial debt, arguing that the bond is a loan provided by one country to another.
