Russia-occupied Kherson will use ruble starting May 1: Report

Kherson, a region occupied by Russian forces for more than a month, will start using the Russian ruble from May 1, 2022, state media reported. The announcement was made by a senior administrator of the region.

Kirill Stremousov, the deputy chairperson of Kherson’s Civil-Military Administration, told RIA-Novosti news agency about the switch in currency.

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The civil administrator said that the complete transition of currency will take nearly four months to complete, after which the Russian ruble will be the only acceptable currency. 

CNN reported citing the Civil-Military Administration official that both currencies — the Russian ruble and Ukrainian hryvnia– will be in circulation in Kherson for the four-month transition period.

Russian forces took control of the Southern Ukrainian region early in the invasion, which was launched on February 24, 2022. Soon after the takeover, Moscow’s forces took control of the Kherson City Council building. 

Elected government officials were removed from their positions by the Russian forces, according to reports from CNN.

Meanwhile, the city of Kherson was rocked by a series of explosions on late Wednesday and at least temporarily knocked Russian channels off the air, Ukrainian and Russian news organisations reported.

The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said missiles and rockets were fired at the city from the direction of the Ukrainian forces to the northwest.

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Even though Russian forces have taken control of the city, clashes with civilians have reportedly continued. Residents of Kherson have come out onto the streets to protest the occupation, according to reports from Associated Press.

CNN reports citing Kyiv also suggest that Russia plans to hold a vote in the Kherson region — dubbed a “sham referendum”– in an attempt to demonstrate popular support for the creation of a new entity called the Kherson People’s Republic.