Russia installs new mayor in Ukrainian city after allegedly kidnapping predecessor

Russia installs a new mayor in the Ukrainian city of Melitopol, which is under Russian control, after its elected mayor was kidnapped, allegedly by Russian troops.

The city is strategically located between Mariupol and Kherson. The Russians took it over quickly during the invasion and there have been protests since.

The city’s mayor, Ivan Fedorov, was taken away by armed men from a government building on Friday. Russian officials later claimed he had committed terror offenses.

The area’s regional administration says a former member of the city council, Galina Danilchenko, is now the mayor.

She says her main job now is to “take all necessary steps to get the city back to normal.”

Ukrainian President Zelensky has appealed to international leaders, including Prime Minister Bennett, for Fedorov’s release.

He said earlier Russia was trying to set up “pseudo-republics” in areas it occupied and said collaborators “would not be forgiven.”