Russian-appointed Kherson deputy governor killed in car crash

By Emre Gurkan Abay

MOSCOW (AA) – Kirill Stremousov, the Russian-installed deputy governor of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, died in a car crash on Wednesday.

The 45-year-old’s death was announced by Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed governor of Kherson.

“It’s very hard for me to say that Kirill Stremousov died today. He died on the territory of the Kherson region while riding in a car. There was a road accident,” Saldo said in a Telegram post.

Stremousov’s death comes as Russia pulls out its forces from the southern port city of Kherson to the east bank of the Dnieper River that it lies on.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu stressed that the decision for a retreat was made to save the lives of Russian soldiers.

Last month, some 60,000 residents of the Kherson region, then under Russian control, were evacuated amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive.