Russian investigators said on Monday that Alexey Kovalev, a former Ukrainian lawmaker who was previously linked to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s parliamentary group but sided with the Russian occupation forces in Kherson province, was shot dead.
“Alexey Kovalev, deputy head of the military and civil administration in charge of agricultural affairs of the Kherson province, died after being wounded by gunfire,” the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement on the Telegram application account.
“The attack took place at his residence on August 28. A young woman who lived with the deceased was also the victim of ill-wishers,” the committee responsible for criminal affairs in Russia said, without providing further details.
In recent months, several Russian-appointed officials have been injured or killed in bombings on Ukrainian territory conquered by Moscow.
33-year-old Alexey Kovalev was elected deputy of Kherson State in 2019 and was part of the group in the Ukrainian Parliament supporting President Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, after the Kremlin offensive launched at the end of February and the conquest of Kherson, Kovalev became a part of the occupation administration. He was the target of another assassination attempt at the end of June, but survived.
Most of Kherson province and part of Zaporizhzhia province were taken by Kremlin forces, which sought to implement a policy of Russification in these places and aimed for eventual annexation.
Moscow has introduced the ruble as the currency in the region and encourages its residents to apply for Russian passports.
source: Noticias
