Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday demanded the release of Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov, who was kidnapped by Russian forces by Ukrainian officials.
“The city community is demanding his release. I am grateful to every Melitopol resident for this resistance,” Zelenskyy said in a message posted on Facebook.
The organizer of Ukrainian rallies in Melitopol, Olga Gaisumova was also captured and the city’s aid headquarters in the Shevchenko recreation center was seized by Russian soldiers, who cordoned off the building, local blogger and activist, Tatiana Kumok, told ABC News in an interview.
The occupiers told the civil defense in Melitopol that they are prohibited from going in the streets during the curfew, according to Kumok.
Zelenskyy claimed the Ukrainians had had tremendous success, dealing with “the biggest blow to the Russian army in decades.”
“We have had extraordinary success. How the entire Ukrainian people resisted these invaders has already gone down in history. But we have no right to reduce the intensity of defense, no matter how difficult it may be for us. We have no right to reduce the energy of our resistance, “Zelenskyy said.
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