SIMFEROPOL, April 22. /ITAR-TASS/. More than half of businesses in Crimea already operate in the rouble zone, Crimea's First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev said at a session of the republic's Council of Ministers on Tuesday.

Legal entities have already opened 25.000 accounts in Russian banks. In Ukraine, the legal entities registered in Crimea had 35.000 to 37.000 bank accounts, Temergaliyev said.

As of now, 143 offices of Russian banks have been opened in Crimea, and nine Ukrainian banks have stopped operation.

"We plan to have 175 (offices) opened by the end of this week," Temirgaliyev said noting that 200 offices was a norm for the republic.