KYIV - Ukraine's central bank bought 70 billion hryvnia ($2.37 billion)worth of war bonds on Thursday, First Deputy Governor Kateryna Rozhkova said on Friday.

She said the central bank had now purchased a total of 190 billion hryvnia worth of war bonds, which were established to raise funds to fill a budget deficit created by lost revenue and higher costs due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

She said that amid low demand for government bonds the central bank had been forced to become the major buyer and effectively print money for that, adding: "This situation is already dangerous enough. We cannot be the only source."

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Editing by Timothy Heritage)