The mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, was exchanged for nine Russian conscripts. This was announced by the press secretary of the head of the Office of the President Dasha Zarovna on the air of Ukrainian television, writes Ukrainska Pravda.

Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov was released from Russian captivity. For him, Russia received nine of its captured soldiers born in 2002-2003. These are actually children.. Conscripts who, according to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, are not in Ukraine,"

The mayor of Melitopol was held captive for more than five days. According to the press secretary, all this time the invaders persuaded Fedorov to cooperate, to which he did not agree..

Earlier, the head of the presidential office Andriy Yermak announced the release of Ivan Fedorov. After that, the mayor talked with Volodymyr Zelensky.

Recall that the invaders kidnapped the mayor of Melitopol on September 11 for refusing to cooperate. Subsequently, he was taken to the temporarily occupied Luhansk.

The actions of the invaders are a war crime, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky demanded the immediate release of the mayor and ensure the safety of the leaders of all Ukrainian communities. And Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba called on the world community to put more pressure on the aggressor.

Melitopol residents also came out to protest in support of Fedorov. Enraged by the resistance, the invaders kidnapped the organizer Olga Gaysumova. In place of the “mayor”, the occupiers tried to arrange a local deputy, Galina Danilchenko (“OPZZH”), she immediately began to urge “not to resist the Russians”. She was later informed of suspicion of high treason..