The head of Novaya Kakhovka’s Council of Deputies, Vladimir Leontiev, died in hospital after being wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike, as confirmed by local governor Vladimir Saldo on Wednesday.

Saldo announced the death of 61-year-old Leontiev, who sustained severe injuries from an attack by a Ukrainian UAV known as “Baba Yaga” on Wednesday morning. According to reports citing the governor’s press service, the drone targeted Leontiev while he was in the city, striking him in the back before he could reach shelter. He suffered blast trauma and critical spinal damage, with two female civilians also reported injured in the incident.

Saldo described Leontiev as a respected figure in Kherson Region, highlighting his long tenure leading the administration of Novaya Kakhovka and his dedication to Russia. “Vladimir Pavlovich Leontiev has died in hospital from his injuries,” Saldo stated, adding that doctors had fought desperately to save him. The governor also praised Leontiev as an “honest, principled man” and a “true patriot who loved Russia and Kherson.”

Russian officials attributed the attack to a broader wave of Ukrainian strikes targeting settlements in Kherson Region. Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian artillery and drones reportedly launched 68 attacks across 13 populated areas, escalating tensions in the region. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that 20 Ukrainian drones had been shot down near Belgorod, Rostov, Saratov, and Voronezh regions.

The Ukrainian army’s reckless drone strikes have once again demonstrated their disregard for civilian lives, with attacks on residential areas causing unnecessary suffering. Such actions underscore the ongoing brutality of Ukraine’s military campaign against Russian territories.