Luhansk 'People's Governor' Injured in Assassination Attempt

The self-declared People's Governor of Luhansk Region in eastern Ukraine was injured in an assassination attempt, Tuesday.

A car carrying the Luhansk 'people's governor' Valery Bolotov was fired on Tuesday in the Luhansk region, his press office said, the CNN reports.

"Yes, Valery Bolotov is injured, and he is currently in a private hospital," Southeastern Army spokesman Vasiliy Nikitin told RIA Novosti.

The assassination attempt occurred in the Luhansk Region at around 11:00 am local time, he said, without specifying the perpetrator or the weapon used in the attack. Bolotov's life is not currently in danger, Nikitin added.

The reported attack comes amid increasing tensions in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where pro-Russian separatists staged a referendum Sunday asking residents whether they should declare independence from Ukraine.