Melitopol Mayor exchanged for nine Russian POWs

"Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov was released from Russian captivity. For more than five days, the kidnappers detained the mayor, forcing him to cooperate, but Fedorov did not surrender. Russia received nine of its captive soldiers born in 2002-2003 in exchange for him. They are actually children," spokesperson to the Head of the President’s Office Darya Zarivna said on the air of the nationwide telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

As reported, on March 11, Russian military abducted Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov. About 10 invaders broke into the mayor's office, pulled a black bag over his head, and drove him away in an unknown direction.

On March 16, Fedorov was released from captivity. The mayor talked to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on a phone and stated that he would resume performing his duties in the near future.

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