Kakhovka mayor refuses to cooperate with Russia-occupation forces, leaves city due to threats on his life

Kakhovka Mayor Vitaliy Nemyrets has said that he refused to cooperate with Russia-occupation forces and left the city of Kakhovka in Kherson region because of the threat to his life.

"Since I didn't want to cooperate with the Russian occupiers, the life of my family and I personally were in real danger. I think that there is no benefit to the community from the dead mayor or the mayor somewhere in the basement. Therefore, I decided to leave the temporarily occupied Kakhovka for the areas controlled by Ukraine's armed forces," the Kakhovka city territorial community's Facebook page reported on Thursday.

Nemyrets said that he would not abandon the residents of Kakhovka.

"The fact that I am not physically with you does not mean that I left you!! I continue to work and will continue to work for you – for the benefit of our Kakhovka community," he said.

The mayor said that only the majority of deputies of the city council at a legitimate session can remove him from office or accept his resignation.

He also assured the townspeople that for everyone he "is still a phone call away."