Yahoo TV

Senior Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of abducting the Mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, from an administrative building in the center of the city on Friday, March 11.

Security video released by the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Kirill Timoshenko, appears to show soldiers exiting the Melitopol City Registry Office with a person in custody.

Fedorov had continued to operate the city council despite the arrival of Russian forces and posted regular updates on social media about the situation in the city. On Monday, March 7, after helping organize humanitarian deliveries to the city, Fedorov was awarded the Order of Courage by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

On Tuesday, Fedorov released a video address that had been taken outside the registry office. Earlier on Friday, an anti-invasion protest had been held at the same building, according to Melitopol City Council which posted footage of pro-Ukraine demonstrators.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, raised the alleged abduction in an address to the UN Security Council, asking the Russian delegate for help securing Federov’s release.

“I would like to use this opportunity to ask the gentleman in the Soviet seat: If you are really connected to Moscow, please ask Moscow to release the kidnapped mayor of the city of Melitopol,” Kyslytsya said at the March 11 meeting. Credit: Kirill Timoshenko via Storyful