Ukrainian officials say they have rescued the mayor of the southern city of Melitopol, who was taken by Kremlin operatives in the Russian-occupied city last week.
“A special operation to release the mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov has just been successfully completed. Vanya is safe,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko, a senior official in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, said in a message on his Telegram channel.
“We just talked to him together with the president and the head of the Office. I would like to say only one thing – we never leave our people. Ivan will return to his duties as mayor of Ukrainian Melitopol very soon,” he added.
Watch the video of President Zelenky speaking with Fedorov below:
Confirmation that Ivan Fedorov – the mayor of Melitopol who was kidnapped by Russian occupation forces – has been freed in a 'special operation' (probably by Ukrainian Special Forces).
The video shows President Zelensky speaking to him after his rescue.🇺🇦pic.twitter.com/T8dSdM9Fei
— Jimmy (@JimmySecUK) March 16, 2022
