KIEV, Dec. 19 - The Ukrainian-Russian Interstate Commission, co-chaired by the two countries' presidents, Viktor Yanukovych and Vladimir Putin, has ordered the inclusion of the Russian ruble in the first group (fully convertible currencies) of the Ukrainian National Bank's foreign currency classification, according to a protocol adopted during the commission's session on December 17.

The document, which was published on the Ukrainian president's website on Wednesday, orders the "implementation of Point 12 of the Roadmap intended to resolve issues in investment, financial and industrial cooperation between Russia and Ukraine [signed in Kaluga, Russia, on October 15, 2013] concerning the inclusion of the Russian ruble in the 1st group of the Ukrainian National Bank's classification of foreign currencies and precious metals."