Aerial view of the city of Kherson, Ukraine, seen on May 20. (Andrey Borodulin / AFP / Getty Images)
The Russian-occupied Kherson region has closed its borders with surrounding Ukrainian regions, state media told RIA Novosti on Saturday, quoted by Kirill Stremusov, deputy head of the Russian-installed administration in Kherson.
“The border is already closed for security reasons… we do not advise traveling to Ukraine at all, regardless of the pretext,” Stremousov told RIA.
Kherson’s border crossings with the Ukrainian regions of Nikolaev and Dnepropetrovsk are closed, while travel from Kherson to Crimea or the Russian-controlled regions of Zaporozhye remains possible, Stremousov added.
Almost all of Kherson – located in southern Ukraine – has been occupied by Russia since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February.
Some context: Kherson exit points have been unofficially blocked for weeks, according to Ukrainian officials, who say anyone who wants to leave the area has been sent to Crimea.
CNN spoke in detail with dozens of Ukrainian families about their difficult travels in and out of the region.
Efforts by the Russian-established administration in Kherson to establish military bases and hold a referendum on turning the region into a “republic” – similar to other separatist states in eastern Ukraine – continue.
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