The Moscow-based administration wants a Russian base in Kherson and threatens to join Russia. French television visited Kherson under the supervision of the occupiers.
In the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Russia is behaving as if it had come to stay. Russian troops took over the port city early in the war.
French television visited the area under the supervision of the Russian authorities. Although interviewing local residents was prohibited, one person managed to express his opinion in front of the camera. He said he is not afraid even for his life, but wants the Ukrainian regime back.
Since the beginning of the occupation, there has been a battle of spirits for control of the city in Kherson.
Ukrainian colors still visible
In the spring, protests gathered under the blue-yellow colors of Ukraine were even daily. Russian troops kept them in check by firing air and using tear gas.
There has also been struggle over the city administration. The speeches of the leaders appointed by Russia are now getting louder.
These want the presence of Russian troops to be permanent.
Deputy Head of Local Government appointed by Russia Kirill Stremousov said a Russian military base should be located in the Kherson region. In a message from the Russian news agency Ria Novosti, he claimed that “the entire population” supports an idea that would bring security to the area.
According to the Ukrainian authorities, Russia may hold a “referendum” in the region, the fictitious outcome of which could justify an alliance with Russia. The procedure would be the same as the so-called Moscow-recognized Donetsk and Luhansk so-called “in the People’s Republics”.
The occupying power introduced the ruble
The peg to Russia will also be strengthened with the introduction of the country’s currency. Director of the Russian regional administration Vladimir Saldo announced on Monday, according to the news agency AFP, that in addition to the Ukrainian hryvnia, the Russian ruble will be used in Kherson.
The value of the Ukrainian currency is pegged to the ruble, which is being hit by economic sanctions.
An alliance with Russia instead of a “referendum”?
So Russia is hardly winning the minds of its residents. Many have already left Kherson, and according to a BBC report, the Russian-speaking population is also opposed to Moscow’s rule.
Therefore, even holding a fake referendum may seem like a bad idea to the occupier. Now the leaders appointed by the Kremlin are proposing to annex the region to Russia.
More soldiers were sent to Kherson earlier in the spring to quell the protests of city residents, the BBC reports. According to a university researcher interviewed by the British Broadcasting Corporation, a guard dressed in gray uniforms acts like a police force.
Moscow seems determined to hold on to the Kherson region, which it conquers.