Ukrainian drone kills member of Russian occupation administration in Kherson Oblast, Kremlin proxy claims
A Ukrainian drone on Oct. 1 killed Volodymyr Leontiev, a Russian-installed official in the occupied town of Nova Kakhovka in Kherson Oblast, according to Volodymyr Saldo, the Moscow-appointed head of the partially-occupied region.
Leontiev was wounded in the attack by a Baba Yaga drone and died in the hospital later in the day, according to Saldo.
Ukraine has not commented on the attack. The Kyiv Independent has reached out to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and military intelligence (HUR) for comment.
Leontiev, 61, previously served as the head of the Russian-installed administration in the town of Nova Kakhovka, taking the position in April 2022 — shortly after Russian forces seized control of the area. He then held a senior position in the Moscow-installed local council.
Leontiev has been implicated in multiple war-related crimes since the start of the full-scale invasion.
In March 2022, he reportedly ordered Russian troops to abduct and torture the mayor of Beryslav, Oleksandr Shapovalov. For this, he was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison by a Ukrainian court.
In April 2022, Leontiev was formally charged with collaboration. Later that summer, he was accused of involvement in the abduction of local journalist Oleh Baturin.
Last year, a Ukrainian court sentenced Leontiev to an additional 12 years for the unlawful imprisonment of Baturin, as well as the mayor of Tavriisk and the secretary of the Nova Kakhovka City Council.
