One source said Alpha Bank had passed based on the 'static balance sheet', which takes no account of the bank's restructuring plan that was approved over the summer.

The other said Alpha Bank had no problems in the tests, without giving further detail. Alpha Bank declined to comment as the results are not due to be published until Sunday 1200 BST.

(Reporting By George Georgiopoulous and Laura Noonan; Editing by Clare Hutchinson)