Russia’s occupation of southern Ukraine is solidifying, with rubles, Russian schools and statues of Lenin

ZAPORIZH, Ukraine – Every day convoys of cars and minivans flock to a processing center at the end of Zaporizhia, full of civilians fleeing areas of southern Ukraine under Russian occupation while they still can.

Part of southern Ukraine, including most of its Kherson region and most of its Zaporizhia region, has been under Russian military rule since early March.