The former mayor of a Ukrainian town who surrendered to the Russia military in February 2022 and subsequently fled to Russia has been shot in an apparent assassination attempt, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR) said on Saturday.

The GUR said that Hennadiy Matsehora, the former mayor of Kupyansk in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, had been attacked in Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, on Friday. He was hospitalised and said to be in a critical condition.

Telegram channel Mash said Matsehora had been shot outside his house in the city of Stary Oskol, adding that he had been taken to Moscow for treatment.

The GUR said Matsehora had voluntarily cooperated with occupying Russian forces in February 2022 and surrendered Kupyansk to them without a fight. When the Armed Forces of Ukraine regained control of Kupyansk in September 2022, Matsehora fled the city with the retreating Russian forces and moved to the Belgorod region.

The GUR said that despite Matsehora being granted extra security measures, these had not not proved sufficient to prevent an attempt on his life.

Last month, the Kharkiv region Public Prosecutor’s Office said that Matsehora would be tried in absentia for treason, citing a video message he recorded in February 2022 in an attempt to calm the local population and forestall anti-Russian protests. It also alleged he helped occupying Russian forces with transport, fuel, housing and food.