Early in the morning, an assault targeted Vitaly Gura, the deputy director for housing and communal services in Nova Kakhovka. The official sustained a gunshot wound and died several hours later in hospital.
The incident was confirmed by Ekaterina Gubareva, deputy head of the Kherson regional administration, who stated that Vitaly Gura, a leading figure in the housing and chemical complex of Nova Kakhovka, died from his injuries.
Vladimir Leontiev, head of the Nova Kakhovka administration, told RIA Novosti that Gura was shot with both a machine gun and a pistol. He added that weapons used included small arms and at least one machine gun.
A criminal investigation has been opened. The Investigative Committee of Russia announced that it would establish the circumstances of the crimes and identify those involved.
On the Nova Kakhovka administration website, Gura is listed as the headman of the Dnipro region within the Novokakhovka city regional community.
Vladimir Leontiev noted that Gura, who is under forty and has young children, was known for addressing the city and region’s urgent needs under the new administration. He highlighted efforts to rebuild the city following rocket attacks and described the work as effective during the initial period.
not the first attempt
This attack marked the fifth assassination attempt targeting pro-Russian officials in the Kherson region. In mid-June, Yevgeny Sobolev, head of the district prison service, was wounded in an explosion near his car. A homemade device was involved. The security services later detained those implicated in the incident, reportedly receiving guidance from the Ukrainian defense ministry. A figure associated with the operation carried the nickname Jason Hart.
On June 22, Yuri Turulev, head of the Chernobaevka administration, sustained injuries from an explosion placed near residence areas. He received medical care at the scene.
Two days afterward, Dmitry Savluchenko, an official in Kherson, was killed when an explosive device under his car seat detonated. The blast, described by Russian law enforcement sources as a terrorist act, occurred as the official left his home to go to work. The vehicle was enveloped in flames following the detonation.
In early July, security forces halted an assassination attempt against Volodymyr Saldo, head of the Kherson region administration. Later that month, Saldo fell ill while at work and was transported by special air transport from Crimea to Moscow. He was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Sklifosovsky Institute. Reports from the Telegraph Channel Mash suggested that Saldo had been poisoned or suffered an unknown encephalopathy. He remained on ventilation with periods of waking, as doctors continued to monitor his condition.
Emergency personnel explained that the Sklifosovsky Institute houses advanced equipment including a chemical-toxicological laboratory capable of identifying poisoning substances, enabling clinicians to determine the cause of the illness or exposure.