In the latest development in Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the mayor of Melitopol was seized on Friday by Russian military occupying the city, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The battle, which has been going on for over two weeks, has seen the Western allies ratchet up sanctions against Russia, with the US banning Russian seafood, vodka, and diamonds, as well as the European Union banning luxury goods shipments to Russia.
Meanwhile, US Vice President Joe Biden has ruled out any direct action in the Ukraine-Russia issue, warning that a fight putting NATO against Russia would be "World War III."
Ukraine, "Turning Point," "Moving Towards Our Victory," As the US slapped further fines on senior Kremlin officials and Russian oligarchs, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned Ukraine was at a turning point in the war, with Russian forces appeared to be regrouping for a future assault on Kyiv. As Russian attack is now in its third week, Zelenskiy declared that Ukraine has "already reached a vital turning point," speaking to his people from the capital Kyiv. "It's impossible to say how much longer we have to liberate Ukrainian territory." "However, we may declare that we will," he said. "We're well on our way to attain our objective, our victory."
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian officials, the mayor of Melitopol in southern Ukraine was seized on Friday by Russian military occupying the city. "The mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, was kidnapped by a group of ten occupants," Ukraine's parliament announced on Twitter. It went on to say, "He refused to cooperate with the enemy." The mayor was apprehended while dealing with supply concerns at the city's crisis centre, according to the report.
Russian military pushed closer to Kyiv and blasted civilian neighbourhoods in other Ukrainian cities while the US and EU tightened the economic noose around the Kremlin, triggering worries of "unimaginable tragedy." The UN and others have warned that Russia may be committing war crimes in locations like Mariupol, which has been surrounded by Vladimir Putin's army for days. Over 1,500 people were killed over the course of 12 days of rioting, according to officials in the southern port.