Mayor of occupied Tokmak in Zaporizhzhia Oblast dies

The mayor of the temporarily occupied town of Tokmak in Zaporizhzhia Oblast Ihor Kotelevskyi has died, report Ukrinform and UA:PBC with reference to the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration.

"Today, on May 7, 2022, the mayor of Tokmak Ihor Kotelevskyi passed away. This information was confirmed by the head of Polohy Regional State Administration Artur Krupskyi. The circumstances of his death are being clarified," Zaporizhzhia Oblast administration was quoted as saying by Ukrinform.

The circumstances of the mayor's death remain unknown, however, according to unofficial reports, the possibility of suicide is being considered. Kotelevskyi was 57 years old.

In mid-April, the occupiers "appointed" Volodymyr Volvach the so-called "acting mayor" of Tokmak. Ihor Kotelevskyi resigned, but remained in the town to help local residents, Zaporizhzhia authorities reported.

Kotelevskyi was elected mayor of Tokmak three times: in 2010 and 2015, as well as in the 2020 local elections, in which he ran for the Opposition Platform — For Life political force.

The situation in the region

Part of the Zaporozhzhia Oblast is occupied by Russian troops. In temporarily occupied settlements, the enemy is collecting local passport data and wants to put rubles into circulation.

In Enerhodar, the occupiers forbade the leadership of the Zaporizhzhia NPP to leave the city, even on work engagements. As a matter of fact, the Russians are holding the experts of Europe's largest nuclear power plant hostage, and Rosatom's nuclear specialists are trying to take control of the plant.