Ukrainians flee grim life in Russian-occupied Kherson

By HANNA ARHIROVA
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Residents who have fled the Russian-occupied city of Kherson say conditions in the Black Sea port just north of the Crimean Peninsula have become increasingly grim. The southern city was the first to fall to Russia’s invasion. But Kherson remains at the heart of the conflict and Ukraine’s efforts to save its vital access to the sea. Residents describe a heavy-handed effort by Moscow to establish permanent control in the city and region by pressuring residents to take Russian citizenship, effectively banning use of the Ukrainian currency and installing pro-Kremlin authorities. Locals who have been waiting for a Ukrainian counteroffensive have decided to flee the city. But that option is increasingly getting more difficult and expensive.