‘Kidnapped’ Melitopol mayor released after being swapped for nine Russian soldiers

By Team Newsable | First Published Mar 17, 2022, 10:59 AM IST

Ivan Fedorov praised President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not ‘abandoning’ him in a phone call shared by the Ukrainian government, and stated he will be ready to serve again after ‘one or two days to recover.’

A Ukrainian mayor who was abducted by Russian forces last week was released, days after Kyiv said he was in Russian forces’ captivity. On Wednesday, Ukraine handed over nine detained Russian soldiers in order to gain the release of Melitopol’s mayor, who was detained last week, according to the Interfax Ukraine news agency.

The news that Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov was no longer in Russian hands was announced by Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. “Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov has been released from Russian captivity,” he wrote in a Telegram post.

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Melitopol has been occupied since the first days of Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian officials said Fedorov, who had insisted that the southeastern Ukrainian city remain free and backed daily pro-Ukrainian protests, was kidnapped on March 11 after resisting takeover.

Fedorov disappeared after he was purportedly shown being led away with a bag over his head by a large group of heavily armed Russian soldiers in Melitopol’s Victory Square in a CCTV video shared by Victor Kovalenko on Twitter. Russian-controlled separatists then announced they were bringing charges against Fedorov for “aiding terrorism.”

In this today's video from the occupied city in province you can see how in the middle of the day the soliders kidnap Ivan Fedorov, a mayor of the city. Video shared by the Ukraine presidential office (Kyrylo Tymoshenko). [Thread⬇️] pic.twitter.com/ei5cykbSYP

— Victor Kovalenko 🇺🇲🇺🇦 (@MrKovalenko)

On Wednesday, a video posted on Telegram showed President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking to him on the phone and telling him he was “happy to hear the voice of a man alive.”

In a video tweeted by Ukraine’s defense ministry, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is heard on the phone with Federov, telling him, “We do not abandon ours.” Federov responded that he plans on getting back to work in Melitopol. The city is under Russian control, and following Federov’s abduction, Galina Danilchenko was installed as mayor. She is now being investigated by the Ukrainian prosecutor general for treason.

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