At their home in the occupied Kherson region, a “traitor” Ukrainian politician who switched sides to support Vladimir Putin when he ordered the invasion of Ukraine is alleged to have been shot dead with a shotgun and his wife fatally stabbed.
Oleksiy Kovalyov, 33, a senior official in charge of agriculture in the military-civilian government in Kherson that was nominated by Moscow, was shot and murdered on Sunday at his home in the city of Hola Prystan.
According to local media, his 38-year-old wife was also stabbed and had her throat cut during the incident before passing away in the hospital.
The latest in a string of apparent assassinations of Moscow-backed officials in occupied areas, Russian officials said they would look into the attack.
According to local media, a hit team is said to have killed the couple.
Kovalyov had resolutely declared to his Ukrainian enemies: “You won’t stop me” following a previous unsuccessful assassination attempt.
Former MP and traitor Oleksiy Kovalyov has been killed, according to a statement from a Ukrainian official, Serhiy Khlan.
According to a Telegram channel maintained by Ukrainian journalist Andrei Tsaplienko, Oleksiy Kovalyov, a traitor and collaborator, was shot and killed in his own home.
“The occupiers have started conducting thorough searches and document checks.” Keep an eye out, Ukrainians.
The official and his companion were assassinated, which is the most recent killing of several Ukrainians who had been appointed to administrative or law enforcement positions by the occupying Putin forces.
A deputy chief of traffic police in the southern Ukrainian city of Berdyansk died on Friday in a hospital after being injured in a bombing, according to Russian-installed officials.
The Kherson region has reported five additional suspected murders, and Ukraine is currently waging a counteroffensive to retake territory from the Russians.
Vladimir Saldo, the mayor of Kherson City, the regional capital, was thought to have been poisoned and was unconscious in a hospital in Moscow.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine fired his spy chief and state prosecutor general last month, citing numerous instances of cooperation between agents of their agencies and Russian officials.
Kovalyov was chosen as the important grain region’s vice chairman for agriculture. In April, he decided to change teams.
Kovalyov, who before to the war was an MP for the city’s dominant Servant of the People party, sent a telegram from his hospital bed in June after a previous attempt on his life ended in failure.
He accused the SBU, the Ukrainian secret agency, of carrying out a vehicle bombing and proudly said in a video, “I am alive, I am well.” I want to return to work on Monday.
They didn’t frighten me, and I want to continue working. to remain in my community and serve my district until the end of my term in office in 2023.
You won’t be able to stop me, I say to my adversaries and the people behind this sabotage.
According to other sources, the murdered politician’s mother discovered him and called 911. His wife was not able to be saved by doctors.