Russian missile strikes may affect macroeconomic projections for Ukraine - IMF

The International Monetary Fund is following massive missile and air strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure closely and does not rule out that this may affect macroeconomic projections for Ukraine in the near future.

Julie Kozack, Director of the IMF's Communications Department, said this in response to questions from Ukrinform in Washington on Thursday.

"With respect to some of the more recent developments, including missile strikes, we are following these developments closely. And of course, we will factor these into the macroeconomic framework for the next review of Ukraine's program," she said.

She also noted that Russia's invasion of Ukraine had affected the global economy. In this context, she pointed to a very sharp increase in food and energy prices.

"Of course, Ukraine's economy has been the most severely affected, as have the people of Ukraine," Kozak said.

However, the spike in food and energy prices led to a cost of living crisis globally, and it was indeed low-income countries that were most affected by particularly the spike in food prices, she said.

In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its systematic attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. At the same time, the Russians are trying to target the country's energy infrastructure.