Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Banks to Open Branches in Ukraine’s Occupied Kherson Region

A man riding a bicycle past a poster reading "Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" in Kherson, Ukraine. Sergei Ilnitsky / EPA / TASS

A Russian bank is set to open a branch in Ukraine’s occupied Kherson region this week, an official in the region’s Moscow-appointed administration announced Tuesday.

“I think in the near future, a month or a month and a half, people will be able to open accounts and try to pay via the internet," said Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Kherson region’s “military-civilian” administration, without specifying which Russian bank will be opening.

"Ukrainian banks will no longer work due to the disconnection of communications from the Ukrainian side,” Stremousov told reporters during a visit to the Russia-annexed Crimean peninsula.  

Stremousov added that more Russian banks could open branches in Kherson in the near future.  

The Kherson region of southern Ukraine has seen a gradual “Russification” since Russia’s forces took control in March, prompting speculation that its Moscow-installed authorities could stage a referendum to become part of Russia.

The region started transitioning to the Russian ruble last month, and Russian television channels and cellphone signals have replaced Ukrainian ones. 

Russia has also simplified the process of obtaining a Russian passport for residents of captured Ukrainian territories. 

On Monday, Stremousov claimed that the Kherson region “will soon become a full-fledged subject of the Russian Federation.”  

President Vladimir Putin vowed that Russia would not occupy Ukrainian territory when he launched what he calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more