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Ukraine mayor describes ‘hard’ interrogations by Russia during ‘dangerous’ 6 days in captivity
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A Ukrainian mayor who lately was freed as a part of a prisoner swap is now opening up about his “harmful” six days in captivity, throughout which he says he discovered that “for Russians my life and the lives of civilians had been price zero.”
Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of Melitopol – a metropolis of round 150,000 in southeastern Ukraine – spoke in Rome, Italy on Sunday after asking Pope Francis and the Vatican for assist in establishing humanitarian corridors for residents hoping to flee the loss of life and destruction, in keeping with Reuters.
“It was a harmful six days as a result of I understood that for Russians my life and the lives of civilians had been price zero,” Fedorov mentioned, noting that he suffered “psychological” torture following his seize on March 11.
Mayor of Ukrainian metropolis of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov, heart, together with members of Ukrainian parliament Maria Mezentseva and Rustem Umerov attend the Easter Vigil in Saint Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican on Saturday.
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“They got here to me at evening with 5 or seven troopers and spoke for about 4 or 5 hours, exhausting dialogue,” he advised Reuters.
“They needed to make an instance of me about what would occur if we didn’t conform to what the Russians needed,” Fedorov added, additionally saying that “Russian troopers assumed that they’d be welcomed however they weren’t… and that’s the reason the Russians had been very, very indignant.”
Because it stands now, Fedorov mentioned it’s not secure to stroll the streets of Melitopol.
Melitopol Ivan Fedorov was free of captivity on March 16.
(Ukrainian Minister of Overseas Affairs)
“There isn’t a meals in my metropolis. There isn’t a pharmacy. Half of my metropolis is wrecked. Greater than 200 folks have been kidnapped,” he mentioned, in keeping with Reuters.
Fedorov had been taken whereas at a disaster heart in Melitopol and was led out the constructing with a plastic bag over his head, Ukraine’s parliament mentioned. He was launched from Russian custody on March 16.
Individuals protest the kidnapping of Mayor Ivan Fedorov outdoors the Melitopol regional administration constructing on March 12.
(Courtesy of Deputy Head for President’s Workplace, Ukraine/Handout through REUTERS)
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s workplace, confirmed on Fb that Zelenskyy had spoken with Fedorov following his launch.
“We don’t abandon ours,” Zelenskyy reportedly mentioned.
Fox Information’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.