Russian forces prevent Ukranians from leaving occupied territories

Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Melitopol, reported on the situation.

He noted that as of December 25, Russian forces have not let the residents of the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions to leave for Zaporizhzhia for 10 days .

Ivan Fedorov detailed the ways in which Russian forces intensified their terror and worsened the conditions for leaving for safe territories:

• artificially created thousands of queues at checkpoints;

• introduced a system of special passes for travel, getting which takes up to a month;

• in November, they stopped letting men fit for military service out.

The Melitopol mayor added that now Russian forces do not let even women, children and pensioners leave the occupied territory. “People who still try to flee are told to leave their cars and walk to Zaporizhzhia on foot. According to the occupiers, the road is closed until January 15."

• Russian forces are also trying to gather more than 1,500 children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to take them to Russia allegedly for the New Year holidays.