Sberbank has announced that it is entering the Crimean market. The first ATMs have already been installed on the peninsula, a team has also been formed, Kommersant writes.

“Gradually during 2023, the bank’s offices will be opened, the first of them in the largest cities will start working in the first half of the year. During the year, all the necessary services and services of Sberbank will be deployed,” – said the press service of the bank.

This information was also confirmed by the Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev. According to him, the selection of a place for the bank’s office is now underway.

“Within a year, the network of ATMs will work on the entire peninsula, all necessary services and services will be deployed. It is no secret that before, in order to issue the same bank card had to go to the nearest office, which is located in Taman – the first settlement behind the Crimean bridge. I know that Sevastopol residents have long been waiting for the arrival of Sberbank, which will allow them to fully utilize all of the bank’s capabilities,” Razvozhayev said.

Sberbank did not work in Crimea because of the sanctions imposed on the region by the United States and the European Union after the peninsula’s return to Russia. Before the referendum in 2014, a subsidiary Ukrainian structure of Sberbank operated on the territory of the peninsula. However, it was possible to use Sberbank cards in Crimea to pay for purchases, but problems arose when withdrawing cash. After Sberbank fell under the blocking sanctions imposed by the West, Crimean Crimean representative Georgy Muradov urged the financial organization to start operating in the region.