Russia’s occupying troops don’t let people leave Melitopol

Today there are about 70-75 thousand residents left in Melitopol. Occupying troops don't let people leave.

The mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov said this during the telethon, Ukrinform reports.

"According to my estimates, there are about 70-75 thousand people left in the city. The occupiers are doing everything to prevent people from leaving the city. The road from Zaporizhzhia to Melitopol in normal time is 1 hour, in my opinion, in wartime it is 4 hours, but now it takes 2 days. The occupiers are deliberately detaining everyone so as not to release people and occupy the city," he said.

Russian soldiers are also blocking unofficial green corridors.

"Everyone is sent only to Crimea. They say that you can get there without problems, but our people do not want to go to Crimea," the mayor added.

Today evacuation buses and a convoy of private cars are to be sent from Melitopol to Zaporizhzhia. According to the mayor's estimates, 1,500 to 2,000 citizens will try to evacuate today.

As reported, in Melitopol, some heads of condominiums provide the occupiers with lists of abandoned apartments, which are later occupied by the Russian military.