Russia is introducing its own currency, media and internet services into parts of Ukraine its army has occupied - especially the southern city of Kherson.


Ukraine says Russia may be planning to hold a referendum in the city - to see whether its inhabitants want to set up a pro-Russian breakaway "people's republic" - but the vote will be illegal and a sham.


Why is Russia concentrating on Kherson?

Russian forces occupied Kherson in early March - one week after the invasion of Ukraine began. It was the first major city to fall. Before the invasion, it had a population of 290,000. But, according to its former mayor, some 40% of residents have since fled the city.

If Russia aims to take southern Ukraine and establish a land bridge to Crimea, Kherson, at the mouth of the Dnieper River, on the Black Sea coast, will be key, the UK Ministry of Defence says.


What changes has Russia made in Kherson?

Russian military authorities dismissed Kherson's elected mayor from his post. Ihor Kolykhaiev had "not been cooperating" with occupying forces, Russian state news agency Ria said.

In his place, a pro-Russian administration for the city and surrounding region has been installed. Access to Ukrainian television channels has been blocked and internet service providers replaced with Russian ones. Kherson's residents have been urged to listen to pro-Russian radio stations for their news.

Ukraine says Russia's goal is to "make their false propaganda an uncontested source of information"


The new regional government is also phasing out Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, and introducing the Russian rouble.

The four-month transition started on 1 May, with the authorities banning deliveries of Ukrainian money to banks.

Kherson residents have told BBC News the military authorities have started paying people's pensions in roubles.

But many are trying to find small ways to defy the Russian forces, including exchanging any roubles they receive back into hryvnia.


Does Russia plan to hold a referendum?

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned residents Russia aims to hold a "so-called referendum" in the Kherson region, on breaking from Ukraine and becoming a "people's republic".

He has advised people not to give the Russian authorities any personal data, such as passport numbers, as they might be used to falsify votes.

The UK Ministry of Defence said, in an intelligence update in April, a referendum would be a way for Russia to justify its occupation of Ukraine.

But Mr Kolykhaiev said it would be illegal since Kherson officially remains part of Ukraine. And President Zelensky has said it fits in with Russia's plans of breaking Ukraine apart by creating "pseudo-republics" throughout the country.
[/b]

[b]How has Russia changed life in Ukraine's breakaway regions?

Russia's treatment of Kherson has followed the same pattern as its approach in Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, after a referendum declared invalid by the United Nations General Assembly.

It built a bridge between Crimea and southern Russia and moved in weapons, introduced the rouble and phased out the hryvnia.

And pro-Russian media is now dominant in the peninsula.

But the situation in Kherson is even closer to that in two regions of eastern Ukraine seized by Russian proxy forces shortly after Crimea was annexed.

The puppet leaders in the east created so-called people's republics, in Luhansk and Donetsk, where they also use the rouble and have given the population Russian passports.

Russia pays pensions and government salaries there.
In the schools, children are taught to a Russian curriculum.

And Ukraine complained to Moscow of the "Russification" of eastern Ukraine.


https://www bbc com/news/world-61338617

They are Russian speaking people

olas24u:
They are Russian speaking people

living in Australia?

Can someone explain this to me, should Russia annex Ukraine won't that bring them closed to NATO? what exactly are they doing all this for? biggest strategic blunder in history

sanpipita:
Can someone explain this to me, should Russia annex Ukraine won't that bring them closed to NATO? what exactly are they doing all this for? biggest strategic blunder in history

anything Nato isn’t on the table for Ukraine, not now not never. However, EU membership is feasible and russia seems to have no problems with that. I’m just waiting to know, how Kremlin will respond when Finland and Sweden confirms their membership in the coming days.

The only blunder in history here, is Zelenski that lead his country into war with a superpower country. Of course na russia invade Ukraine, but the build up no be today na unfinished scores from 2014, dem still Dey settle till date. As it stands, no matter how long this war lasts, Russia will achieve its objectives, that only means one thing, Ukraine go resemble Syria.

I don’t know if russia is planning to seize Odessa too, but if it’s successful Ukraine will be landlocked like Hungary.

I don’t see any windows for diplomacy anytime soon, russia ain’t strangers to longer wars, go ask nato&usa in Syria, Putin dealt with em, na why Assad still Dey alive today. Make we Dey observe things Dey go sha.

I

Teazerr4:
anything Nato isn’t on the table for Ukraine, not now not never. However, EU membership is feasible and russia seems to have no problems with that. I’m just waiting for how Kremlin will respond when Finland and Sweden confirms their membership in the coming days.

The only blunder in history here, is Zelenski that lead his country into war with a superpower country. Of course na russia invade Ukraine, but the build up no be today na unfinished scores from 2014, dem still Dey settle till date. As it stands, no matter how long this war lasts, Russia will achieve its objectives, that only means one thing, Ukraine go resemble Syria.

I don’t know if russia is planning to seize Odessa too, but if it’s successful Ukraine will be landlocked like Hungary.

I don’t see any windows for diplomacy anytime soon, russia ain’t strangers to longer wars, go ask nato&usa in Syria, Putin dealt with em, na why Assad still Dey alive today. Make we Dey observe things Dey go sha.

I

I wasn't asking if NATO was on the table, my question is should Russia annex Ukraine, won't it bring them closer to NATO thought they want to avoid it?

sanpipita:


I wasn't asking if NATO was on the table, my question is should Russia annex Ukraine, won't it bring them closer to NATO thought they want to avoid it?

Russia already shared border with many NATO countries but Ukraine joining NATO is like Mexico joining SCO leads by China or CSTO by Russia.
USA will go to war for that too happen

sanpipita:


I wasn't asking if NATO was on the table, my question is should Russia annex Ukraine, won't it bring them closer to NATO thought they want to avoid it?

They only want to take the Donbass..

They rest of Ukraine can go to blazes in NATO

sanpipita:


I wasn't asking if NATO was on the table, my question is should Russia annex Ukraine, won't it bring them closer to NATO thought they want to avoid it?

I already answer your questions. They will never attract or smell Nato, annexed or not…nato is off the table. It’s the reality they had to learn the hard way. When last did you hear Zelenski talk about NATO .

seunny4lif:

Russia already shared border with many NATO countries but Ukraine joining NATO is like Mexico joining SCO leads by China or CSTO by Russia.
USA will go to war for that too happen

So solution annex Ukraine and bring NATO closer?

Teazerr4:
I already answer your questions, Dey will never attract or smell Nato, annexed or not…nato is off the table. It’s the reality they had to learn the hard way. When last did you hear Zelenski talk about NATO .

Are you sure?

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ukraine-zelensky-a-nato-membership-would-have-prevented-the-war-2966345

sanpipita:


So solution annex Ukraine and bring NATO closer?

Russia want NATO to be far as possible from Moscow and they will do anything for that.
East Ukraine have always been Russia land given to Ukraine because they joined USSR.

sanpipita:


Are you sure?

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ukraine-zelensky-a-nato-membership-would-have-prevented-the-war-2966345

Hahaha fresh today's post.

Good reply.

sanpipita:


Are you sure?

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ukraine-zelensky-a-nato-membership-would-have-prevented-the-war-2966345

Ok

Teazerr4:
anything Nato isn’t on the table for Ukraine, not now not never. However, EU membership is feasible and russia seems to have no problems with that. I’m just waiting to know, how Kremlin will respond when Finland and Sweden confirms their membership in the coming days.

The only blunder in history here, is Zelenski that lead his country into war with a superpower country. Of course na russia invade Ukraine, but the build up no be today na unfinished scores from 2014, dem still Dey settle till date. As it stands, no matter how long this war lasts, Russia will achieve its objectives, that only means one thing, Ukraine go resemble Syria.

I don’t know if russia is planning to seize Odessa too, but if it’s successful Ukraine will be landlocked like Hungary.

I don’t see any windows for diplomacy anytime soon, russia ain’t strangers to longer wars, go ask nato&usa in Syria, Putin dealt with em, na why Assad still Dey alive today. Make we Dey observe things Dey go sha.

I

Good analysis in the laymans language. 3 gbosa from Japan.

olas24u:

Good analysis in the laymans language. 3 gbosa from Japan.

kindly share your professional view, it’s an open ground

Teazerr4:
kindly share your professional view, it’s an open ground

if emotions are facts