Ukraine's international reserves in December 2012 fell by 3.3% or by $830.71 million, to $24.546 billion, according to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).

Since early 2012, international reserves have shrunk by 22.8%, or by $7.248 billion.

The NBU specified that the country's forex reserves in December dropped by $762.96 million, or by 3.3%, to $22.647 billion, while gold reserves reduced by $67.76 million, or by 3.5%, to $1.89 billion.

Earlier, then NBU Governor Serhiy Arbuzov stated that toughening of exchange regulations could help the central bank stop supporting the hryvnia exchange rate by selling gold at least in December 2012.

As reported, in November 2012 the NBU introduced the obligatory sale of 50% of currency income and halved the term of return of currency income, and supported the introduction of a pension fee on the sale of cash foreign currency.