Ukraine's parliament has released the news that the mayor of Melitopol, Ukraine, Mayor Ivan Fedorov, was abducted by Russians on Friday in what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is calling "a war crime under the Geneva Conventions."
In a statement made by Ukraine's parliament obtained from NPR, it's revealed that approximately 10 people nabbed Fedorov in the city center, and put a plastic bag over his head.
❗ Warning ❗
— Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (@ua_parliament) March 11, 2022
A group of 10 occupiers kidnapped the mayor of #Melitopol (Zaporizhzhya region) Ivan Fedorov. He refused to cooperate with the enemy.#StopRussia #StopPutin
👇 pic.twitter.com/nV6OPlbGfh
Related: Many injured in Ukraine maternity ward tragedy
"The fact of the abduction of the mayor of Melitopol, along with hundreds of other facts of war crimes by Russian occupiers on the Ukrainian soil, are being carefully documented by law enforcement agencies. The perpetrators of this and other crimes will be brought to the strictest responsibility," the ministry wrote in a statement posted to its official Facebook page.
Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.
"Russian troops, who have been launching missile and bomb attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure in Ukraine, including children's hospitals and schools, over the course of two week, are cynically accusing the mayor of 'terrorism,'" the ministry added in their official statement.
The State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine obtained footage of what appears to be the moment the abduction took place. Watch the footage below:
Melitopol: The occupiers kidnapped the mayor of Melitopol, who refused to hand them the city #StopPutinNOW #StopRussia #WARINUKRAINE #Ukraine #mariodraghi pic.twitter.com/oSXCvW1vNq
— SSSCIP Ukraine (@dsszzi) March 11, 2022
Read more: