Kyiv: President Volodymyr Selensky and Ukrainian officials say Russian troops have abducted Melitopol Mayor in southern Ukraine.
“A group of 10 occupiers abducted Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov and refused to cooperate with the enemy,” the Ukrainian parliament said on Twitter.
They say the mayor was caught red-handed dealing with food delivery issues at a trouble center in the city.
In a video message late Friday, President Selensky confirmed the abduction. Fedorov was described as the mayor who bravely defended Ukraine and its members.
“This is a sign of the invaders’ weakness … they have entered a new phase of terrorism that seeks to physically eliminate the representatives of the legitimate local Ukrainian authorities,” he said.
“So the arrest of the mayor of Melitopol is a crime against democracy,” he said.