Ukraine spends $5.5 b on Euro 2012, says Kolesnikov

Ukraine spent a total of $5.5 billion on its preparations for hosting the Euro 2012 European Football Championship, Vice Premier and Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Borys Kolesnikov said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday.

"The sport-related component cost $800 million. In particular, the construction of the stadium in Kyiv cost $550 million, Lviv stadium - $200 million, and $50 million was spent on the Kharkiv stadium," he said.

According to the minister, some $4.5 billion was spent on the construction of airports and other infrastructure facilities.

Staff expenditures are estimated by $55 million.

According to Kolesnikov, 40,000 engineers, builders and architects, and around 500,000 employees of allied companies in more than 40 countries of the world worked on the preparations for Euro 2012.