Kakhovka mayor Vitalii Nemerets has left the Russian-occupied town with his family
IRYNA BALACHUK - THURSDAY, 7 APRIL 2022, 09:44
Source: Kakhovka Municipal Council on Facebook
According to Nemerets: "Due to the fact that I did not want to cooperate with the Russian occupiers, my family's lives and I personally were threatened with real danger. I believe that a dead mayor or a mayor sitting in a basement somewhere is of no use to the municipality. That is why I decided to leave temporarily occupied Kakhovka for territory under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Details: The mayor noted that just because he is not physically with the people of Kakhovka does not mean he has abandoned them. Nemerets stated that he is and will continue to work for the good of the municipality.
He pointed out that he could only be removed or have his resignation accepted by a majority of city councillors during a validly convened meeting, and "everything else is a useless piece of paper".
The mayor also expressed hope for the speedy return home of his "friends and fellow city heads of Tavriisk - Mykola Rizak, Hola Prystana - Oleksandr Babich and Oleh Yakhnienko, the chair of Milova village council, as well as all the other Ukrainians who have been insidiously abducted."
"I am still just a phone call away for each and every one of you. I believe I will soon be able to work with you and for you in liberated Kakhovka," Nemerets concluded.
Earlier: Skadovsk city head Oleksandr Yakovliev said he had left the city because of threats and "proposals" that he collaborate with the Russian military.
Background:
On 24 February, Russia attacked Ukraine - towns in the Kherson region were the first to be occupied by Russian troops in anall-out war.
Kakhovka was temporarily occupied by Russian troops. Despite this, people in Kakhovka held a rally for Ukraine on 27 March.
On 3 April, the Russian military abducted at least four people during a peaceful rally in Kakhovka.
On 5 April, Kakhovka's new gauleiter Pavlo Filipchuk told utility workers that Russia would not be able to pay them the same wages as "under Ukraine".
