MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has bought $3 billion worth ofUkrainian bonds in a bid to support its
neighbor’s economy, PrimeMinister Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday.Ukrainian President ViktorYanukovych has
faced daily protests against his surprise decision lastmonth to drop a landmark deal with the European
Union. Last week,Yanukovych secured a deal with his counterpart Vladmir Putin wherebyRussia slashes gas
prices for Ukraine and buys $15 billion worth ofUkrainian government bonds.The opposition says the
agreements area sell-out but Ukraine’s Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Russia’sbond purchase has
helped pull Ukraine from the financial abyss.Medvedevmet with Azarov in Moscow on Tuesday and announced
that Russia boughtthe first batch of bonds worth $3 billion on Monday. He did notindicate, however, when
Russia was going to buy more Ukrainian debt.Investorshave criticized Russia’s decision to buy Ukraine’s
junk-rated debt andpointed to the fact that the Russian government is legally prohibitedfrom investing
state funds into risky assets.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has bought $3 billion worth
ofUkrainian bonds in a bid to support its neighbor’s economy, PrimeMinister Dmitry Medvedev said
Tuesday.Ukrainian President ViktorYanukovych has faced daily protests against his surprise decision
lastmonth to drop a landmark deal with the European Union. Last week,Yanukovych secured a deal with his
counterpart Vladmir Putin wherebyRussia slashes gas prices for Ukraine and buys $15 billion worth
ofUkrainian government bonds.The opposition says the agreements area sell-out but Ukraine’s Prime
Minister Mykola Azarov said Russia’sbond purchase has helped pull Ukraine from the financial
abyss.Medvedevmet with Azarov in Moscow on Tuesday and announced that Russia boughtthe first batch of
bonds worth $3 billion on Monday. He did notindicate, however, when Russia was going to buy more
Ukrainian debt.Investorshave criticized Russia’s decision to buy Ukraine’s junk-rated debt andpointed to
the fact that the Russian government is legally prohibitedfrom investing state funds into risky
assets.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.