Russia-Ukraine live updates: Biden skeptical of Russia’s pledge to ‘drastically reduce’ assault
Russia is introducing rubles into occupied territory while limiting the circulation of Ukrainian currency there, according to two Ukrainian government agencies.
Citing reports from unnamed banks and local media, the National Bank of Ukraine said in an online statement that Russia has taken steps to “limit the circulation of cash and cashless” hryvnias, the national currency. The move was confirmed in a tweet by Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
Nikolenko said it is part of Russia’s attempt to establish a regime in Ukraine without the support of the people.
“Faced with total resistance from the local population, Russia tries to introduce the Ruble in the temporarily seized parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in an attempt to establish an occupation regime,” Nikolenko tweeted.
The Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.
Neither Ukrainian agency clarified how exactly Russia was “introducing” its own currency or who was receiving payments. The Kyiv Independent reported that Russian forces in Henichesk, which is part of Kherson oblast, have been issuing pensions in rubles. The newspaper cited a Facebook post from Sergey Khlan, whom it describes as a regional council member.
“After compiling the lists last week, the actual payments of 10,000 rubles began in Henichesk,” Khlan wrote, according to a translation of his Facebook post. “People are standing in line and already receiving cash on hand. However, the entire movement of the ruble ends in exchange offices, in which retirees immediately exchange rubles for hryvnia.”
A payment of 10,000 rubles was worth about $113 as of Tuesday afternoon.
The Ukrainian central bank called Russia’s purported actions “a gross violation of international law,” noting that Ukraine’s laws forbid the issuance or use of any currency in the country other than the hryvnia. It called on the country’s top prosecutor to press charges in relevant international courts.
