Conflict in east Ukraine costs over $130 mln a month: Ukraine says

Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksander Shlapak said on Monday Kiev's "anti-terrorist campaign" was costing more than 1.5 billion hryvnias ($130 mln) a month and that Kiev needed additional funds to cover the mounting bill.

"We need to seek additional resources for this operation," he told a meeting of leaders of parliamentary parties.

He also said Ukraine's economy had contracted by 5 percent in the first six months of the year and Kiev now saw GDP falling by 6.5 percent this year. The government had previously forecast a 3 percent drop.