Ukraine official claims Russia kidnapped mayor of occupied city who resisted takeover
Russian forces have kidnapped the mayor of the southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol, which is currently under Russian occupation, according to a Ukrainian official.
Melitopol has been occupied since the first days of the invasion, but its mayor, Ivan Fedorov, had insisted it remained part of Ukraine. He was taken from his office by Russian troops Friday afternoon, according to Kirill Timoshenko, an advisor to Ukraine’s president.
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Timoshenko posted a CCTV video allegedly showing Fedorov being led out of the building by a large group of heavily armed Russian soldiers.
Local people have been protesting the Russian occupation almost everyday, marching in the city with Ukrainian flags and confronting Russian soldiers.
A local woman who has taken part in the protests, Tatiana Kumok, in a phone call with ABC News, said Russian riot police surrounded the central square and tried to prevent protests last week.
Kumok said that local TV has been switched to Russian channels and that a new Russian "police force" has been deployed on the streets.
Kumok said she fears that Russia plans to permanently occupy Melitopol, even if Russia eventually reaches a deal with Kyiv. She said they have been told they will be given Russian passports.
-ABC News' Patrick Reevell