Putin’s forces kidnap second mayor as hero ‘who stood in front of Russian tank’ dragged off and other victim ‘tortured’

A SECOND Ukrainian mayor has been kidnapped by Russian forces one day after another was dragged away with a hood over his head. Yevgeny Matveyev was filmed at the start of the Russian invasion standing in front of an invading tank after leading unarmed local people out to resist the Vladimir Putin’s forces. TwitterYevgeny Matveyev has been kidnapped the Russians[/caption] TwitterHe was reported to be the man facing off this Russian tank[/caption] Parliament of UkraineIvan Fedorov, mayor of Melitopol, was kidnapped on Friday, Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed[/caption] SSSCIP Ukraine/TwitterFootage shows the mayor being marched out of the building by Russian troops[/caption] Matveyev is mayor of the city of Dniprorudne in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast. News of his kidnap was announced by by Zaporizhzhia Region State Administration head Oleksandr Starukh on Sunday morning. “War crimes are becoming systemic. The mayor of Dniprorudne has been abducted,” Starukh wrote. The second kidnapping comes after Ivan Fedorov was filmed being dragged away by Russian forces with a bag over his head in the city of Melitopol, in southern Ukraine. Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko said the Russians were using “terrorist tactics to install puppet regimes at a local level”. She alleged Fedorov “is still hostage and apparently tortured”. Hundreds of Ukrainians took to the streets to demand his release. Read more on Ukraine Ukraine’s parliament says Fedorov “refused to cooperate with the enemy” and was abducted at the southern city’s crisis centre, where he was dealing with supply issues. But soon a large crowd gathered outside the building he was seen being taken from by Russian soldiers. Most read in The Sun WIPED OFF THE MAP Russians destroy entire CITY & ‘gun down fleeing women & kids killing 7’ 'FOCUSING ON RECOVERY' Stephen Mulhern forced off TV after needing hospital treatment THE BEALE DEAL EastEnders icon Adam Woodyatt in talks to return to soap for '£300,000' COVID CHAOS Man Utd abandon team coach and travel in cars to Spurs game due to Covid fear 'my love' Tamzin Outhwaite reveals daughter cries for dad as she pays tribute to partner TOM'S BATTLE The Wanted's Tom Parker is so weak he’s using a wheelchair, reveals Max George Some of those who braved Vladimir Putin’s occupiers were carrying placards demanding the mayor be released. Footage shows Fedorov being marched out of the building by Russian soldiers. “A group of 10 occupiers kidnapped the mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov,” officials wrote on Twitter. “During Fedorov’s abduction, they put a plastic bag on his head.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the abduction late on Friday as he branded it a “sign of weakness of the invaders” and compared Russian soldiers to “ISIS terrorists”. He also hailed Fedorov “a mayor who bravely defends Ukraine and the members of his community”. “They did not find collaborators who would hand over the city and the power to the invaders,” Zelensky said in a video message. “Therefore, they have switched to a new stage of terror when they are trying to physically eliminate representatives of the legitimate local Ukrainian authorities.” It comes as… Russia airstrike hits 12 miles from Nato border killing 35 at base where foreign instructors are helping UkrainiansPutin destroys entire city as Russians ‘gun down fleeing women & kids’Western spies claim Putin ‘has roid rage from cancer treatment’Moment another Russian convoy ambushed by brave Ukrainians using lethal anti-tank missilesPutin could ‘unleash deadly virus seized from Ukrainian lab & blame US’Russia now attacking Kyiv from two sides in attempt to surround cityMoscow sanctions Peppa Pig in bizarre act of retaliation against West “The whole country saw that Melitopol did not surrender to the invaders, and this will not be changed by putting pressure on mayors or kidnapping mayors. “The capture of the mayor of Melitopol is therefore a crime, not only against a particular person, against a particular community, and not only against Ukraine. It is a crime against democracy itself. “The acts of the Russian invaders will be regarded like those of Islamic State terrorists.” Fedorov was captured by about 10 Russian soldiers, and led out of the government building when he allegedly refused to turn over the city to his captors. Russian troops have been controlling the city of Melitopol for more than a week. Read More on The Sun On Facebook, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “We call on the international community to respond immediately to the abduction of Ivan Fedorov and other civilians, and to increase pressure on Russia to end its barbaric war against the Ukrainian people.” “The perpetrators of this and other crimes will be brought to the strictest responsibility” Twitter/@nexta_tvHours after be was kidnapped a crowd gathered to demand his release[/caption] APZelensky compared Russian troops to ‘ISIS terrorists’ in a video message[/caption]