RPT--Ukraine cenbank's new inflation forecast takes into account hryvnia devaluation

KYIV, July 21 (Reuters) - A devaluation of Ukraine's hryvnia currency announced on Thursday could add 2-3 percentage points to inflation, but this has been taken account of in the central bank's new inflation forecast, a senior bank official said.

Central bank deputy governor Serhiy Nikolaychuk made his comments at a news conference after the National Bank of Ukraine kept its main interest rate unchanged at a seven-year-high of 25% and raised its 2022 inflation forecast to more than 30%.

The rate meeting was held hours after the central bank abruptly devalued the hryvnia by 25% against the U.S. dollar to help cope with the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The previous rate had been set at the start of Russia's invasion nearly five months ago.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Editing by Timothy Heritage)