In this file photo taken on July 20, 2022 Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-backed Kherson administration, is pictured in his office, with a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin seen on the wall behind him, in the city of Kherson, amid the ongoing Russian military action in Ukraine. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)
Moscow: The Moscow-installed deputy head of Ukraine's southern Kherson region, Kirill Stremousov, has died in a car crash, officials said on Wednesday.
Stremousov, 45, was one of the highest-profile officials in Ukraine supporting Moscow's offensive.
Russian President Vladimir Putin posthumously awarded him the Order of Courage for "the courage and bravery shown in the performance of his duties", according to a decree on the presidential website.
Stremousov's aide, speaking to AFP, confirmed his death.
"I confirm the death of Kirill Sergeyevich," the aide said, referring to Stremousov by his first name and patronymic.
Kherson's Russian-appointed acting governor, Vladimir Saldo, called his passing "tragic", saying his car got into an accident in the region.
Saldo called Stremousov one of the "brightest" people he has known and said he leaves behind five children, with a sixth due soon.
The head of Russia-annexed Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, called Stremousov a "true fighter" and a "Russian patriot".
The region's main city, also called Kherson, was the first urban hub to be captured by Russia after Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.
Ukrainian forces are now advancing towards the city and causing heavy losses among Russian troops.
Russian forces have for weeks organised the evacuation of Kherson residents to Russia and other Moscow-controlled regions, which Kyiv has condemned as a mass deportation.
