OREANDA-NEWS. The freezing of foreign currency accounts of the Central Bank can be regarded as the desire of the West to create an artificial default in Russia. This was stated by the head of the Ministry of Finance Anton Siluanov.

“The freezing of foreign currency accounts of the Bank of Russia and the government of the Russian Federation can be regarded as the desire of a number of foreign countries to organize an artificial default that has no real economic grounds,” the ministry’s press service quoted the minister as saying.

Siluanov added that Russia is ready to make payments in rubles at the exchange rate of the Central Bank on the date of payment. As for the issue of Eurobonds, this possibility was included directly in the issuance documents.

On March 11, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said that a default in Russia due to sanctions that were introduced against the backdrop of the situation in Ukraine is possible. At the same time, Georgieva stressed that she did not want to speculate on the possible default of the Russian economy. In her opinion, this may primarily be influenced by how long the anti-Russian sanctions will last, as well as whether Russia will be able to fulfill its obligations on debts.