Photo: Deutsche Welle/Vasily Fedosenko/ITAR-TASS/IMAGO IMAGES / copyright
The new pro-Russian authorities of the Ukrainian region of Kherson, conquered by Moscow, established this Monday (23.05.2022) the ruble as the official currency, which will circulate at the same time as the Ukrainian hryvnia.
“The region now becomes a zone with double currency”, announced the pro-Russian civil and military administration in that region located in the south of Ukraine. “Companies and businessmen can announce prices in both currencies,” he added.
Furthermore, the administration indicated that the first agency of a Russian bank will open soon in Kherson and that “all entrepreneurs who wish” will be able to open an account.
At the end of April, a local official assured that the ruble and the hryvnia would be able to circulate during a transition period, before completely switching to the Russian currency , a possibility that was not mentioned this Monday by the pro-Russian regional entity.
However, local and Russian officials raised the possibility that the entire region ends up forming part of Russia.
Kherson was the first city occupied by the Russians, on March 3, after the start of the offensive launched against Ukraine on 24 February.