The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the candidacy of Ivan Fedorov for the post of head of the Zaporizhzhya regional state administration, according to the government's permanent representative in parliament, Taras Melnychuk.
"Ivan Serhiyovych Fedorov has been appointed head of the Zaporizhzhya regional state administration," Melnychuk said.
The government has also approved the dismissal of Yuriy Malashko from this post.
Who is Ivan Fedorov?
Ivan Fedorov used to be the mayor of Melitopol. Russia occupied Melitopol during the first days of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In March 2022, Fedorov refused to cooperate with the occupiers.
On 11 March, he was abducted by the Russian military. The next day, about 2,000 residents of the city protested, demanding Fedorov's release. After six days of captivity, Fedorov was exchanged for nine captured Russian conscripts.