The Russian rouble will be used in Kherson from Sunday, according to Russia-backed forces that have taken control of the southern Ukrainian city.

However, Kherson’s Ukrainian mayor, Ihor Kolykhaiev, who has now been overthrown by Russian authorities, has said that he doesn’t believe this will be possible while the only working banking system in the region is Ukrainian, not Russian.

Despite being occupied for 60 days, many residents are trying to find small ways to defy the Russian forces – like exchanging any roubles they receive back into Ukraine’s currency, the hryvnia.

But there are very few ways to safely snub the Russian army when it occupies your streets.

Z signs – a Russian pro-war symbol – have appeared around the city. Russian flags hang above Kherson’s government buildings. Ukrainian TV has been mostly cut off, changed to Russian news. Russian soldiers drive armoured vehicles through the city centre, between a network of check points.

Now, changing the region’s currency is yet another bid to erase Ukrainian identity from the city.