Ukraine says Russian forces have kidnapped mayor of Melitopol city

Ukraine on Friday accused Russian forces of violating international law by abducting the mayor of Melitopol, a city in southeastern Ukraine that fell under Russian control during the invasion.

Russia has not commented on the fate of Mayor Ivan Fedorov. Ukraine says Russian forces kidnapped him after falsely accusing him of terrorism.

“The abduction of the mayor of Melitopol is classified as a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocol, which prohibit the taking of civilian hostages during the war,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

by Reuters