Deputy head of Kherson killed in road accident

The deputy head of Russia’s Kherson Region, Kirill Stremousov, has been killed in a car accident, the top local official Vladimir Saldo confirmed on Wednesday. The region’s health minister, Vadim Ilmiev, told the media that Stremousov had been involved in a traffic incident on a road connecting Kherson to the town of Armyansk in northern Crimea.

Stremousov often spoke on behalf of the regional administration, particularly when it came to the situation in the city of Kherson. He gave regular updates on social media and regularly talked to journalists about the region’s affairs. Just this morning, the late official revealed the latest information about the battlefield situation, reporting that Ukrainian attempts to advance in a town some 50km to the north from Kherson had been thwarted by Russian troops. 

Russia incorporated Kherson Region last month, after residents there voted in a referendum to break away from Kiev and be accepted into Russia. Kiev dismissed the ballot as a “sham” and continued its military push toward the regional capital.

Kherson is located on the right bank of the Dnieper River and is relatively close to Ukrainian positions. The regional administration urged civilians to leave the city due to the threat from Ukrainian forces and has moved its headquarters to the other side of the river.

Stremousov came to prominence in the national media after earlier having a brush with death. In September, his office in Kherson was hit by a Ukrainian rocket, but he was not there due to a scheduled appearance on a talk show. The blast injured several workers of the administration.