Mayor Of Occupied Ukrainian Town Discusses Abduction By Russian Forces
- By Current Time
Ivan Fyodorov, the mayor of Melitopol in southern Ukraine, was taken prisoner by invading Russian forces on March 11 and held in captivity in a facility "fully controlled by the Russian military." Several days later, the Ukrainian government managed to secure his release in exchange for six Russian prisoners of war. In an interview with Current Time on March 17 from Kyiv, Fyodorov discusses the ordeal, psychological pressure, and attempts to force the town's administrations to continue working under the Russian flag. Despite defiant protests by residents, Melitopol is currently under control of Russian forces.