Ivan Fyodorov, as his title suggests, is an ethnic Russian in a southern Ukrainian metropolis the place Russian is usually spoken and the place cultural and familial ties to the motherland run deep.
That would appear to make Fyodorov, the mayor of Melitopol, simply the form of individual to welcome conquering Russian troopers with open arms and flowers.
Instead, he labeled them “occupiers.”
On Friday night, these Russian troopers threw a bag over Fyodorov’s head and dragged him from his authorities workplace, Ukrainian officers mentioned. Security digicam footage from Melitopol’s Victory Square seems to point out somebody being escorted out of a authorities constructing by troopers, however The New York Times couldn’t confirm the id of the individuals within the video.
The Russian information company Tass reported Saturday that the prosecutors workplace in Luhansk, one of many breakaway areas acknowledged by Moscow, was making ready terrorism expenses in opposition to Fyodorov, accusing him of elevating cash of the far proper group Right Sector.
On Saturday, a whole bunch of his townspeople poured out into the streets in an expression of concern and defiance, regardless of the presence of Russian troops.
“Return the mayor!” they shouted, witnesses mentioned and movies confirmed. “Free the mayor!”
Almost as quickly as individuals gathered, the Russians moved to close them down, briefly detaining one lady who they mentioned had organized the demonstration, in keeping with two witnesses and the lady’s Facebook account.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has equally greeted the Russian offensive with defiance and bravado, mentioned the kidnapping of the mayor demonstrated the falsehood propagated by the Kremlin of a Russian incursion to avoid wasting the nation from a cabal of neo-Nazis within the capital, Kyiv .
“For years they have been lying to themselves that people in Ukraine were supposedly waiting for Russia to come,” he mentioned. “They did not find collaborators who would hand over the city and the power to the invaders.”
Melitopol got here beneath fierce assault on the primary day of the battle, Feb. 24, and Russian troopers entered solely days later. Since then, Fyodorov had overtly inspired resistance, incomes him the assist of the general public and the ire of the occupying military.
The mayor, 33, lanky, match and photogenic, posted transient dwell broadcasts nearly every day on social media to replace Melitopol residents on the state of affairs within the metropolis — which lies simply north of Crimea, the peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014. On at the least one of many posts, explosions could possibly be heard within the night time behind him as he tried to reassure residents that town was functioning as usually as doable.
On March 2, for instance, noting that armed males had opened hearth within the course of some demonstrators, he warned residents away from confrontations with the Russian troopers throughout protests and requested them to respect a 6 pm curfew. “I consider it unacceptable when civilians are shot at!” he wrote. “Melitopol residents, in flip, are requested to not provoke and to behave peacefully on the streets. Our job is to avoid wasting your life and security.”
On March 5, he introduced that town was working to revive 31 non-public homes destroyed by the Russian forces, and he repeatedly thanked native corporations for contributing items and companies to assist a whole bunch of displaced households.
All alongside, the mayor made it abundantly clear that his administration wouldn’t cooperate with the Russians, and he saved the Ukrainian flag flying excessive over town’s central sq..
“We are not cooperating with the Russians in any way,” Fyodorov mentioned in an interview with the BBC two days earlier than he was taken by the Russian troopers. “They have not tried to help us, they cannot help us, and we do not want their help.”
He informed residents the place to purchase milk and medication, printed up to date lists of what pharmacies or ATMs have been working and repeatedly warned that looters could be recognized and punished. He urged them to maintain paying their electrical energy payments, for the reason that cash went towards salaries, and as public transportation ceased working requested residents to provide free rides to medical employees.
Residents responded with an outpouring of gratitude, thanking him profusely for staying at his publish even after the Russian troops managed town. “You are the best mayor!” learn one enthusiastic response to his social media messages, whereas one other wrote, “You are our hope!!”
Others apprehensive about his well being, provided that Fyodorov appeared oblivious to the chilly, standing outside in only a gentle sweater and a down vest because the winter wind howled round him.
“Ivan Sergeyevich, why don’t you take care of yourself?” wrote one lady, utilizing his first title and his patronymic, a well mannered type of handle within the Russian-speaking world. “Are you standing without a jacket in such cold weather? Please dress warmer!”
Born in Melitopol, a metropolis of simply over 150,000 individuals, Fyodorov holds levels in economics and administration and labored briefly for a corporation doing medical imaging earlier than getting into politics. He served on town council for 5 years, from 2010 to 2015, and held numerous posts, together with deputy mayor, earlier than being elected mayor in December 2020.
To that time, whereas he could have harbored distinctive skills, within the eyes of the world he was simply one other nameless native official.
Then got here Feb. 24 and his brave stand in opposition to the Russian occupiers. But then he was led away within the hood and has not been seen or heard from since.
The episode is a part of what Ukrainian officers say is a sample of intimidation and repression by the Russian forces that’s rising more and more brutal. It additionally illustrates an issue that Russia is more likely to face even when it manages to pummel cities and cities into submission: widespread hatred, simmering unrest and, presumably, revolt.
Zelenskyy sought to faucet into that public rage in two videotaped speeches launched Saturday.
“The whole country saw that Melitopol did not surrender to the invaders,” he mentioned. “Just as Kherson, Berdyansk and different cities the place Russian troops managed to enter did not — briefly managed to enter. And this is not going to be modified by placing stress on mayors or kidnapping mayors.”
A brand new mayor, Galina Danilchenko, a former member of town council, was appointed by the Russians Saturday, in keeping with statements by different regional officers on social media. Danilchenko was instantly denounced in numerous posts as a “traitor.”
In a brief video carried by Ukrainian information organizations, Danilchenko mentioned that her major job was to adapt town to “a new reality in order to as quickly as possible live in a new way.” She proposed establishing a “people’s committee” to deal with essential points for town and the area.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
