When Russian troops captured Kherson two months ago, many civilians took to the streets to protest. The Russians responded by dropping flash grenades and firing at civilians.
Since then, the Russian ruble has been introduced, Ukrainian telephone and internet connections have been cut, and Ukrainian television channels have been removed. Even the Russian school curriculum was introduced. Residents find it increasingly difficult to communicate with the outside world. They can no longer escape to safe zones in Ukraine.
referendum rumors
Since early March, rumors have circulated in the Kherson region of a possible referendum in which residents could vote to secede from Ukraine. Similar fake referendums took place in Donbass and Crimea in 2014.
About 90% of the population of Donbass would vote for independence, and 95% of the inhabitants of Crimea would vote for annexation to Russia. The Ukrainian government and the OSCE called these referendums “illegal” and “unfair”.
The human rights commissioner of the Ukrainian parliament said the ballots for the referendum were printed on April 16 in Kherson. The generally reliable Russian news site Meduza reported that sources close to the Kremlin will also confirm that a referendum is being prepared.
symbolic victory
The city is located near Crimea and is an important base for the Russian offensive in southern Ukraine. With about 300,000 inhabitants, it is the largest city that the Russians have complete control over.
On May 9, Russia will celebrate its victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, and Putin will want to give his people a breakthrough on this day. As the offensive in Donbass is slow, Putin could use a referendum in Kherson to show that Ukraine’s “minority free” is going well.
Source: RTL
Smith Charles is a talented entertainment journalist and author at The Nation View. He has a passion for all things entertainment and writes about the latest movies, TV shows, music, and celebrity news. He’s known for his in-depth interviews with actors, musicians, and other industry figures, and his ability to provide unique perspectives on the entertainment industry.
