© kymr.org/RFE/RLKherson State University
Russian news agencies reported late on September 12 that a handmade explosive device detonated, killing a man thought to be her security guard and injuring Tomilina as they were entering her apartment block.
Initial reports said that Tomilina was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds and contusions. Russia-appointed authorities in Kherson said on September 13 that Tomilina's life is not under threat and that her wounds are not serious.
It was not immediately possible to verify the reports.
Tomilina started collaborating with Russian-imposed authorities in Kherson after Russian armed forces took control of the city in March, weeks after the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine. She later was appointed to the post of rector at the university. She was previously the director of the Mishukov Academic Lyceum at Kherson State University, a position she was fired from some time ago for her pro-Russian positions.
Since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine, there have been several assassination attempts conducted against Russian-appointed officials in territories occupied by Russian troops.
Several officials are reported to have been killed, though on September 12, the Russian-appointed deputy mayor of the city of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region, Vitaliy Hura, and the city's de facto deputy police chief, Serhiy Tomko -- who were reported killed by unknown attackers -- turned out to be alive and said in televised interviews that their assassinations were faked by Russia's Federal Security Service.
They said the move was made to prevent real assassination attempts allegedly planned by Ukrainian intelligence.
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