Vladimir Leontyev, the Russian-appointed “mayor” of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine’s occupied Kherson region, has been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike, according to the area’s Kremlin-backed “governor,” Vladimir Saldo.
Saldo initially reported that Vladimir Leontyev had been seriously wounded in a drone strike on Wednesday morning and was in critical condition in the hospital. Later, he confirmed that Leontyev had died from his injuries.
Saldo described Leontyev as “a true patriot,” noting that he was among the earliest supporters of the United Russia party in the region.
In April 2022, Ukrainian prosecutors charged Leontyev with collaborating with the enemy. According to state investigators, he began cooperating with Russian forces on April 2 and was installed as head of the so-called “temporary civil administration” in Nova Kakhovka. Prosecutors said he urged residents to work with the Russian military and spoke of the need to “build ties with the aggressor state.”
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