JUST IN: Governor Stabbed After Town Hall Meeting, Rushed To Hospital

The governor of Russia’s Murmansk region was stabbed on April 4 after a meeting with residents in a local town hall, Russian news agencies quoted the governor’s press service as saying.

Governor Andrei Chibis was attacked in the city of Apatity and wounded in the stomach, the agencies reported, quoting the governor’s press service.

“There was an armed attack and [Chibis] suffered a knife wound in the stomach. The attacker has been detained,” the reports said.

Chibis’s press service confirmed to Interfax that the governor was wounded and hospitalized. The agencies reported that he was taken to Apatitsko-Kirov hospital.

“The governor is currently in surgery. He is conscious and made his own way to his car. On his way to the hospital he was talking and answering questions,” the reports said, describing him as “courageous” and “cheerful.”

TASS reported that his life was not in danger.

There was no information about a possible motive for the assault.

Telegram channel Baza said the alleged attacker is a 42-year-old resident of Apatity. It said he was wounded during his arrest.

Chibis was appointed acting governor of the Murmansk region in March 2019 by a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin. Later that year he was elected with 60 percent of the vote on the first ballot. His term is scheduled to end in September.