KIEV, Dec. 25 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov expects to receive $12 billion more as a loan from Russia at the beginning of 2014.

"We expect the next $12 billion at the beginning of next year," he said, while opening a session of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday.

Azarov said the Russian loan is a very serious, if not a crucial factor for stabilizing state finance and economy; specifically the state will be able to stand by a number of its social obligations which it had difficulties with lately.