Gross domestic production in Ukraine, one of the world’s most recession-battered economies, contracted by 20 per cent in the first quarter of 2009, according to official government figures released on June 30.

After months of delay, the figures were released by the government of Yulia Tymoshenko, prime minister, during a visit to Kiev by an International Monetary Fund mission. The Fund is mulling whether to grant Ukraine a third tranche from a $16.4bn lifeline granted last fall.