Russia-appointed deputy governor of Kherson region killed in car accident: Report

Deputy Governor of Ukraine’s Kherson region Kirill Stremousov has reportedly died following a car accident. According to BBC, the regional governor’s press service stated that Kirill Stremousov died in a car crash on Wednesday.  

As per reports, Stremousov died in an accident on the highway between Armyansk in Crimea and Kherson. According to the Russian state media company Vesti, Stremousov was 45 years old.  

The report regarding Stremousov’s death was confirmed by the head of a nonprofit organization Good Peace-Crimean Volunteers, Valeria Petrusevich, who wrote on her Telegram channel that “Kirill Stremousov, deputy governor of the Kherson region, died. The information is accurate, I know personally. It was an accident. Details later.”  

Stremousov was wanted for treason by the Ukrainian police 

Kirill Stremousov was one of the most prominent proponents of Russia’s occupation of the Ukrainian region and was known for aggressive statements on social media. He was quick to side with Russia despite his Ukrainian nationality when the Kherson region fell early during the Russian invasion.   

Moreover, he was appointed as the deputy head of the Kherson region military administration and was prominent in organizing and supporting Russia’s referendum to legitimize Kherson’s annexation by Russia.  

More recently, Stremousov had been the driving force in the evacuation of civilians from Kerson’s west bank amid Ukraine's counteroffensive against the Russian forces along the Dnipro River. For his actions supporting Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine, Stremousov was wanted for treason by the Ukrainian police.  

Meanwhile, Kherson remains the only Ukrainian regional centre captured by Russian troops after the onset of the invasion on February 24 and is being targeted by a Ukrainian counteroffensive. As the counteroffensive continues, several indications have been made that Russian forces may abandon the city and retreat.