Imports of goods to the free economic zone of Crimea from mainland Ukraine in September 2015 totaled $44.6 million, which is 31.1% less than in the previous month, the State Statistics Service reported on Monday.

The service said that exports of goods from Crimea barely changed at $2.3 million.

In January-September 2015, imports of goods to Crimea from Ukraine's mainland reached $654.6 million, while exports plunged by 96.1%, to $25.5 million.

Companies from Ukraine's mainland provided services to Crimea worth $1.54 million in January-September 2015, while they received services worth $40,000 over the period, including in Q3 2015 services worth $580,000 were provided and services worth $20,000 were received.

As reported, on September 20 Crimean Tatars and public activists began an indefinite civil protest on the border between Ukraine's Kherson region and Crimea to block trade routes to the peninsula.