Ukraine – Mayor of Melitopolis: “The Russians are threatening us with guns to vote – We are afraid of conscription”

Ukrainians in the occupied by the Russians Melitopolis they are afraid of being recruited by the Moscow following the referendum on joining Russia, in which some residents were forced to vote at gunpoint, the city’s exiled mayor said today.

Mayor Ivan Fedorov said the last official route from Melitopol to Ukrainian-controlled territory had been closed and residents’ concerns had grown since the four-day vote began. referendum the manufacture.

“Our residents are afraid, they are panicking, they don’t know what will happen tomorrow, when they will start calling them (to the Russian army),” he told a news conference via video call.

Melitopol, in southeastern Ukraine, was one of the first cities to “fall” after the Russian invasion in February. It is one of the four regions where “pseudo-referendums” are being held, as Kyiv describes them.

Fedorov said he believed the main reason for holding the referendums was to allow Moscow to recruit Ukrainians following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of partial conscription last week.

“Voting takes place in front of automatic rifles, to (Russian) men with gunsFedorov said.

“People are grabbed (by Russian soldiers) in the middle of the street and forced to vote, not only for themselves but for their entire families. When (soldiers) enter a rented house with the tenant inside, they force him to vote for every person registered in that building.”

Fedorov said passage through the Vasilivka Pass — the only official way to reach territory controlled by Kiev — has been closed to men aged 18-35 for four days and was completely closed yesterday.

Reuters was not immediately able to independently ascertain the situation at this particular crossing or in Melitopol in general.

RES-EMP

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