In his video message, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed his support to the residents of Melitopol. They continue to take to the city's streets occupied by the Russian occupiers.
"Brave people of the unconquered country! Our citizens gathered for another protest against Russian troops from the very morning in Ukrainian, forever Ukrainian Melitopol. Against attempts to bring the city to its knees. More than two thousand people in the square. Do you hear, Moscow? Two thousand people in Melitopol are against the occupation, so how many people should be against the war in Moscow? To be fair," said Zelenskyy.
The President stressed that the occupiers had captured the mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov the day before. The city community is demanding his release.
"I am grateful to every Melitopol resident for this resistance, for this position. The occupiers must see that they are strangers in our land, all around Ukraine, and will never be accepted," Zelenskyy stressed.
The President said that he has constantly talked with Western partners about the situation during the night and this afternoon.
"The demand is simple - to release him from captivity immediately. We appeal to all world leaders who speak to Moscow - France, Germany, Israel and others. I called German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. I spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron. I will talk to everyone who is needed to free our people. We expect them, the world's leaders, to show HOW they can influence the situation, how they can do the simple thing of freeing one person, the person who represents the whole Melitopol community and Ukrainians who do not give up," Zelenskyy said.
Today, in Melitopol, more than two thousand people gathered for a peaceful meeting against the occupiers. They demanded the release of Mayor Ivan Fedorov, whom the Russians had taken hostage.
On 11 March, the occupiers kidnapped Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov. Before that, he had refused to cooperate with the enemy. The occupiers detained him in the city's crisis centre, where he was dealing with the livelihood of the Ukrainian city.
The Russian military has repeatedly seized the TV tower and radio towers and is currently blocking the Internet and mobile communications in Melitopol. City and state authorities cannot control the content broadcast on the city's television and radio.
On 10 March, the Russian military kidnapped Leyla Ibragimova, a deputy of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council, in Melitopol. She was then released.