Every day local residents are kidnapped in Melitopol, and during the three months of the occupation more than 500 people have already been kidnapped. This was reported at a briefing by the mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov.
"Some are being held for 3 days, and some were kidnapped a month ago. We even have an example when a 16-year-old child has been held hostage for 50 days. Therefore, the most difficult issue is security in the occupied territories. Of course, there are also humanitarian issues related to the fact that locals are running out of cash and because of the incomplete work of the banking system they cannot transfer it from non-cash to cash accounts. And as for groceries, they are 3-4 times more expensive than on the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government," Fedorov said. ," Fedorov noted.
In addition, evacuation to Ukrainian-controlled territories is now impossible. The Russians are blocking the evacuation of civilians at the line of contact in the village of Vasilievka. More than 400 cars have already gathered there, with 3-month-old children in them. The Rashists use them as a shield to ensure their safety from artillery fire from the Ukrainian side.
