Zelenskyy speaks to Melitopol mayor on call, tells him ‘we don't abandon our own’
India Today
The mayor was released by Russian forces on Wednesday in exchange for nine soldiers captured by Ukraine.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence on Wednesday released footage of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking on call with a man, said to be Melitopol's mayor, who was released by Russian forces after they detained him last week.
According to a video of the conversation uploaded on the ministry's Twitter page, mayor Ivan Fedorov thanked Zelenskyy for not "abandoning him," to which the President replied, "We don't abandon our own."
Ukraine handed over nine captured Russian soldiers to secure the freedom of the mayor, the Interfax Ukraine news agency quoted a senior official as saying on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy's office earlier said Fedorov had been released but gave no details.
Fedorov was kidnapped on March 11 by Russian forces.
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