Russia security forces detain mayor of Ukrainian city of Kherson -officials

Russian-installed officials in Ukraine’s Kherson region claimed that their security forces detained Kherson mayor Ihor Kolkhayev, after he refused Moscow's orders. A Kherson local official stated that the mayor had been abducted.

Kherson is a port city at the Black Sea and lies just northwest of the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula. It was occupied in the first week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which began in February. A large portion of the local population fled the area.

Ekaterina Gubareva (the Moscow-appointed deputy head for the Kherson region) confirmed that Kolykhayev had been detained by the commandant’s (military cop) office.

Halyna Lyashevska was an advisor to Kolykhayev and claimed that the mayor was taken after refusing to cooperate Russian occupiers of Ukraine.

Lyashevska posted on her Facebook page that "this morning, the mayor Kherson Ihor Kolykhayev visited one of the utility facilities were the remaining employees from the city council were working,"

"He was detained immediately as soon as he got out the car," she stated, referring to Russia’s Federal Security Services.

Kirill Stremousov (Russian state RIA news agency) said that Kolykhayev had done "much damage to Russia's denazification process in Ukraine" earlier Monday.

Stremousov was quoted by RIA as saying, "Finally he was neutralized."

Moscow describes its actions as a "special military operations" to disarm Ukraine, and "denazify" the neighbor. Russia and its allies in West claim that the fascist allegation of Ukraine is unfounded and that the war is an unprovoked aggression.

Reuters could not independently verify reports about Kolykhayev's kidnapping and no official confirmation was provided by Ukrainian authorities.

Kolykhayev's abduction follows previous abductions of Ukrainian officials on territory under Moscow's supervision.

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