Yanukovych: Economic crisis in Ukraine triggered by gas price, Tymoshenko loans from IMF, significant reduction in trade with Russia

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, in an interview with journalists on Thursday, said three factors caused the economic crisis in the country.

"By and large, these were the gas price, due to which we received over $20 billion in damage… and the loans of 2008-2009, which the government then received from the IMF, and we had to start returning from 2012," the president said.

"The third reason is the significant reduction in trade with our strategic partners, primarily with Russia and some CIS countries."