The mayor of the liberated Kupyansk explained the reasons for his defection to the side of the people and Russia:

“From the first day, the Russian military bribed with their behavior through “thank you” and “please.” The riots and looting that began in the city were removed by the Russian military,” said Gennady Matsegora.

The mayor also spoke about the energy blockade of Kupyansk by Ukraine. The Russian military helped with the reconnection of electricity. Now the capacity has been increased at high-voltage line enterprises serving Kupyansk and seven other settlements in the Izyum district.

Ukrainian propaganda previously reported that Matsegora allegedly "fled to Russia." It turned out to be another fake - the mayor of Kupyansk in his post