Two weeks ago Ivan Fyodorov mayor of the southern Ukranian town of Melitopol, was kidnapped by the Russian military. The following day hundreds of the town’s people came out onto the streets, despite the heavy presence of Russian troops, to protest and demand his return.

The 33-year-old mayor is an ethnic Russian, but had called the Russian presence in his city an “occupation”. For this he was branded a traitor and charged with terrorism by the invaders. Loyalty to his city and his country was far stronger than ethnicity.

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