The Russian ruble could become a circulating currency in Crimea in a two weeks’ time, Crimea’s First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev told Interfax.

“The Ukrainian treasury has again blocked the accounts of the republic. Today this is not disastrous because we have set up an alternative system. But without fast efficient introduction in Crimea of the ruble it will be difficult to keep the financial situation stable, since Kyiv might limit volumes of the hryvnia in the peninsula. So the question of introducing the ruble is a matter of roughly two weeks,” Termigaliyev said.