Kirill Stremousov, who was “appointed” by Russia as the so-called “deputy head of Kherson regional administration,” has confirmed he’s currently in Russia, in a video statement published on Telegram messenger on Aug. 31.
Stremousov later confirmed he’s in Russia, claiming he had to urgently attend a “communicative leadership seminar” in Voronezh.
Ukrainian social media users were keen to point out this purported seminar happened to coincide with a Ukrainian counteroffensive near Kherson.
Another collaborator, Yevhen Balytskyi, similarly left Zaporizhzhia Oblast for Russia-occupied Crimea.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine launched their first major counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast on Aug. 29.