Russia-Installed Leader Survives Assassination Attempt

An attempt was reportedly made on the life of a Kremlin-installed leader in the occupied city of Melitopol in southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region on Tuesday.

Nikolai Volyk, the deputy head of Melitopol, was leaving his home when an improvised explosive device detonated, Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported.

"The assassination attempt took place early yesterday morning, when he [Volyk] was leaving the house, from his entrance," Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russian-backed administration of the Zaporizhzhia region, was quoted as saying.

"It was an improvised explosive device, one of those used by [Volodomyr] Zelensky's terrorists. It was filled with damaging elements. Only by a happy accident, neither he nor residents were injured," Rogov said.

The official added that, according to preliminary estimates, the power of the improvised explosive device was about 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) in TNT equivalent.

Baza, a Russian Telegram channel that regularly posts information about security issues within the country, reported that explosives were placed on a lamp post located some eight meters (26 feet) from the entrance to Volyk's home.

The improvised explosive device was detonated remotely, Baza reported, citing investigators. Volyk was not injured in the blast, but his jacket was reportedly damaged.

Ukraine hasn't claimed responsibility for the incident. In November, at least two other Kremlin-installed leaders in the region reportedly survived assassination attempts.

On November 11, Melitopol's de facto Deputy Sports Minister Andrei Boyko was hospitalized following a blast, state-run media reported.

"A directed explosion was carried out with the aim of killing him," Rogov said at the time. "An improvised explosive device went off in a residential building in the courtyard of a multistory building, where many civilians could be affected."

Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov responded to the news of the assassination attempt. "The morning started loud and hot for another collaborator in Melitopol," he wrote on his Telegram channel. "According to preliminary information, the explosion rang out in the entrance of the high-rise building where Andrei Boyko lived."

And on November 15, Dmitry Trukhin, head of communal property in the Zaporizhzhia region, was caught up in a blast as he was leaving his home.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion against Ukraine on February 24, multiple Kremlin-appointed officials in territories occupied by Russian forces have been killed.

Moscow has accused Kyiv of carrying out targeted strikes against Russian-appointed officials who have been working with the Kremlin amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

In September, multiple Russian-installed officials were killed in a single day across Ukraine.

And on November 9, Kirill Stremousov, a Kremlin-installed leader of occupied Kherson in Ukraine, was killed in an alleged car accident, according to local officials.

Newsweek has reached out to Russian and Ukrainian authorities for comment.

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