Russia Holds An Investigation On The Murder Of A Moscow-Backed High Officer In Ukraine

JAKARTA - Russian authorities have confirmed that they will investigate the shooting of a high-ranking agricultural official in southern Ukraine last weekend.

This is the latest murder event against officials backed by Moscow, in occupied areas.

Oleksiy Kovalyov, deputy head of agriculture in a civilian-military government in the Kherson region, died of gunshot wounds at his residence on Sunday.

"A girl who lives with the deceased is also a victim of an attacker," the Russian Federation investigative committee said on Telegram.

The committee will investigate the case as a crime and identify the attackers, he added.

The case follows reports by Russian officials that a deputy head of traffic police in the city of Berdyansk, southern Ukraine, died in hospital on Friday after being injured in a bomb explosion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired the country's spy chief and attorney general last month, citing dozens of cases of cooperation with Russia by officials at their institutions.