LVIV, Ukraine — Ivan Fyodorov, as his title suggests, is an ethnic Russian in a southern Ukrainian metropolis the place Russian is often spoken and the place cultural and familial ties to the motherland run deep.
That would appear to make Mr. Fyodorov, the mayor of Melitopol, simply the sort of particular person to welcome conquering Russian troopers with open arms and flowers.
As a substitute, he labeled them “occupiers.”
On Friday night, these Russian troopers threw a bag over Mr. Fyodorov’s head and dragged him from his authorities workplace, Ukrainian officers mentioned. Safety digicam footage from Melitopol’s Victory Sq. seems to point out somebody being escorted out of a authorities constructing by troopers, however The Instances couldn’t confirm the identification of the individuals within the video.
The Russian information company Tass reported on Saturday that the prosecutors workplace in Luhansk, one of many breakaway areas acknowledged by Moscow, was making ready terrorism fees towards Mr. Fyodorov, accusing him of elevating cash of the far proper group Proper Sector.
On Saturday, lots of of his townspeople poured out into the streets in an expression of shock and defiance, regardless of the presence of Russian troops.
“Return the mayor!” they shouted, witnesses mentioned and movies confirmed. “Free the mayor!”
Practically as quickly as individuals gathered, the Russians moved to close them down, briefly detaining one girl who they mentioned had organized the demonstration, in response to two witnesses and the girl’s Fb account.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has equally greeted the Russian offensive with defiance and bravado, mentioned the kidnapping of the mayor demonstrated the falsehood propagated by the Kremlin of a Russian incursion to save lots of the nation from a cabal of neo-Nazis within the capital, Kyiv.
“For years they’ve been mendacity to themselves that individuals in Ukraine have been supposedly ready for Russia to come back,” he mentioned. “They didn’t discover collaborators who would hand over town and the facility to the invaders.”
Melitopol got here underneath fierce assault on the primary day of the warfare, Feb. 24, and Russian troopers entered solely days later. Since then, Mr. Fyodorov had overtly inspired resistance, incomes him the help of the general public and the ire of the occupying military.
The mayor, 33, lanky, match and photogenic, posted transient dwell broadcasts virtually each day on social media to replace Melitopol residents on the state of affairs within the metropolis — which lies simply north of Crimea, the peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014. On a minimum of one of many posts, explosions may very well be heard within the evening behind him as he tried to reassure residents that town was functioning as usually as doable.
On March 2, for instance, noting that armed males had opened hearth within the path of some demonstrators, he warned residents away from confrontations with the Russian troopers throughout protests and requested them to respect a 6 p.m. curfew. “I think about it unacceptable when civilians are shot at!” he wrote. “Melitopol residents, in flip, are requested to not provoke and to behave peacefully on the streets. Our process is to save lots of your life and security.”
On March 5, he introduced that town was working to revive 31 non-public homes destroyed by the Russian forces, and he repeatedly thanked native corporations for contributing items and providers to assist lots of of displaced households.
All alongside the mayor made it abundantly clear that his administration wouldn’t cooperate with the Russians, and he stored the Ukrainian flag flying excessive over town’s central sq..
“We aren’t cooperating with the Russians in any approach,” Mr. Fyodorov mentioned in an interview with the BBC two days earlier than he was taken by the Russian troopers. “They haven’t tried to assist us, they can not assist us and we don’t want their assist.”
He instructed residents the place to purchase milk and drugs, printed up to date lists of what pharmacies or A.T.M.s have been working and warned repeatedly that looters can be recognized and punished. He urged them to maintain paying their electrical energy payments, for the reason that cash went towards salaries, and as public transportation ceased working requested residents to present free rides to medical staff.
Residents responded with an outpouring of gratitude, thanking him profusely for staying at his publish even after the Russian troops managed town. “You’re the greatest mayor!” learn one enthusiastic response to his social media messages, whereas one other wrote “You might be our hope!!”
Others frightened about his well being, provided that Mr. Fyodorov appeared oblivious to the chilly, standing outdoor in only a gentle sweater and a down vest because the winter wind howled round him.
“Ivan Sergeyevich, why don’t you maintain your self?” wrote one girl, utilizing his first title and his patronymic, a well mannered type of deal with within the Russian-speaking world. “Are you standing and not using a jacket in such chilly climate? Please gown hotter!”
Born in Melitopol, a metropolis of simply over 150,000 individuals, Mr. Fyodorov holds levels in economics and administration, and labored briefly for a corporation doing medical imaging earlier than coming into politics. He served on town council for 5 years, from 2010 to 2015, and held varied posts together with deputy mayor, earlier than being elected mayor in December 2020.
To that time, whereas he might have harbored distinctive abilities, within the eyes of the world he was simply one other nameless native official.
Then got here Feb. 24, and his brave stand towards the Russian occupiers. However then he was led away within the hood, and has not been seen or heard from since.
Russia-Ukraine Struggle: Key Issues to Know
The episode is a part of what Ukrainian officers say is a sample of intimidation and repression by the Russian forces that’s rising more and more brutal. It additionally illustrates an issue that Russia is prone to face even when it manages to pummel cities and cities into submission: widespread hatred, simmering unrest and, probably, revolt.
President Zelensky sought to faucet into that public rage in two videotaped speeches launched on Saturday.
“The entire nation noticed that Melitopol didn’t give up to the invaders,” he mentioned. “Simply as Kherson, Berdyansk and different cities the place Russian troops managed to enter didn’t — briefly managed to enter. And this won’t be modified by placing strain on mayors or kidnapping mayors.”
He added: “Do you hear it, Moscow? If 2,000 individuals are protesting towards the occupation in Melitopol, how many individuals in Moscow ought to be towards the warfare?”
Mr. Zelensky mentioned he had raised the destiny of the mayor in calls with the leaders of Germany and France. Within the United Nations Safety Council, Ukraine’s ambassador additionally requested the Russians to launch him.
“We count on them, the world leaders, to point out how they’ll affect the state of affairs,” Mr. Zelensky mentioned. “How they’ll do a easy factor — free one particular person, an individual who represents the complete Melitopol neighborhood, Ukrainians who don’t hand over.”
Mr. Zelensky mentioned what he referred to as the “kidnapping” of the mayor was a part of a broader shift in ways. “They’ve switched to a brand new stage of terror, when they’re making an attempt to bodily remove representatives of the authentic native Ukrainian authorities,” he mentioned.
A brand new mayor, Galina Danilchenko, a former member of town council, was appointed by the Russians on Saturday, in response to statements by different regional officers on social media. Ms. Danilchenko was instantly denounced in varied posts as a “traitor.”
In a brief video carried by Ukrainian information organizations, Ms. Danilchenko mentioned her that her most important process was to adapt town to “a brand new actuality with a view to as shortly as doable dwell in a brand new approach.” She proposed establishing some method of “individuals’s committee” to handle essential points for town and the area.
Sergey Minko, who represents Melitopol within the Verkhovna Rada, the nationwide Parliament, accused the Russians of violating human rights. “The warfare is gaining momentum,” he wrote on Fb, “The occupiers are more and more defying the norms and ideas of worldwide legislation, particularly humanitarian legislation.”
He described Mr. Fyodorov as a “fantastic” mayor who had managed to maintain metropolis providers operating in the course of the invasion.
When individuals waving the blue and gold of the Ukrainian flag took to the streets of Melitopol final weekend, Mr. Fyodorov inspired the demonstration. In his most up-to-date publish on Fb, he thanked enterprise leaders who have been serving to the neighborhood within the second of strife. “Collectively we’ll overcome something!” he mentioned.
Marc Santora reported from Lviv, Ukraine, and Neil MacFarquhar from New York. Sophia Kishkovsky contributed reporting.