Ukraine's forex reserves as of early October 2017 totaled $18.638 billion, which is $602 million or 3.3% more than a month ago, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) said on its website on Thursday.

Since early 2017, the reserves expanded by 20%.

The central bank said that $1.318 million was received from the placement of sovereign eurobonds by the government.

Some reserves will be sent to currency interventions - $165.6 million. The central bank conducted the interventions to smooth extra fluctuations of foreign currency exchange rate on the interbank currency market, including $69 million for interventions with proposals of the best exchange rate.

In addition, $521.4 million was spent on servicing and paying the state guaranteed debt in foregin currency, including $505.4 million for servicing and paying the sovereign eurobonds.

The NBU said that reserves as of October 1, 2017 cover 3.7 months of future imports. They are enough to fulfill Ukraine's obligations, current transactions of the government and the NBU.