Crimea Ready To Adopt Russian Ruble

KIEV (Reuters) - The Ukrainian region of Crimea could adopt the Russian ruble as its currency and "nationalize" state property as part of plans to join the Russian Federation, a regional official was quoted as saying on Thursday.

Interfax news agency cited Rustam Temurgaliyev, Crimea's vice premier, as saying: "All Ukrainian state enterprises will be nationalized and become the property of the Crimean autonomy."

Hoping Moscow would let Crimea become part of Russia, he said: "We are ready to introduce the ruble zone."

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Editing by Timothy Heritage)