Economic toll of conflict builds up for Ukraine

Commander of the 92nd Brigade Viktor Nikolyuk displays a rifle seized from Russian soldiers during a press conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, May 18, 2015. Two wounded Russian soldiers captured while fighting in war-torn eastern Ukraine have been transferred to a hospital in Kiev, Ukrainian officials said Monday, as Moscow once again firmly denied any involvement in the fighting. The Russians were wounded and taken prisoner Saturday near the front line town of Shchastia in the separatist Luhansk region, Ukrainian officials reported. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov) Commander of the 92nd Brigade Viktor Nikolyuk displays a rifle seized from Russian soldiers during a press conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, May 18, 2015. Two wounded Russian soldiers captured while fighting in war-torn eastern Ukraine have been transferred to a hospital in Kiev, Ukrainian officials said Monday, as Moscow once again firmly denied any involvement in the fighting. The Russians were wounded and taken prisoner Saturday near the front line town of Shchastia in the separatist Luhansk region, Ukrainian officials reported. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

By Associated Press May 19, 2015 5 min read

There seems to be no bottom for Ukraine’s economy.

The extent of the damage caused by the conflict in the country’s east was highlighted in a report showing the economy had shrunk by almost a fifth since the violence began last year.

Other indicators likewise show a country on the edge, with inflation rampant and the state out of money.

With much of the country’s industry in the hands of pro-Russian rebels in the east, stabilizing the economy has become a big, if immensely difficult, task for President Petro Poroshenko’s government.

Here’s a look at the economic decline affecting this country of 45 million people.