Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov, who was abducted by Russian forces last week, has been freed, Ukrainian diplomat Olexander Scherba confirmed via Twitter on Wednesday.
Driving the news: The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs decried Fedorov's kidnapping as a war crime and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that his capture could signal "a new stage of terror" in the war.
- Days after Fedorov, a second Ukrainian mayor, Yevhen Matveyev, from the southern city of Dniprorudne, was also kidnapped.
What they're saying: "Ukraine conducted a 'special operation' and rescued Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov from captivity in the occupied Luhansk! Melitopol is Ukraine!" Scherba tweeted.
- Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of Zelensky’s office, confirmed on Telegram that "Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov is already safe!" Tymoshenko then posted a video of Zelensky speaking by phone with Fedorov.