According to President’s Office, Russians abducted and are keeping in captivity 24 authorities’ representatives - city and village heads, their deputies, other representatives of the state institutions.
Information on two more people is being clarified.
On March 26, Russians have also detained the mayor of Balaklia, Ivan Stolbovyy, the deputy mayor Serhiy Poltorak and the head of the department of civilian protection and cooperation with law enforcement Oleh Bludov. They decided to cooperate with the enemy.
Earlier, on March 29, the head of the Cities Association, Vitaliy Klychko, announced that occupiers had abducted 11 mayors and eight city councils officials.
To threaten the education workers of Melitopol and forces them to cooperate, Russian occupiers abducted the head of the city department of education, Iryna Shcherbak.