Over 1,000 Ukrainians held captive in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya - governor Fedorov
More than a thousand civilians are being held captive by the Russians in temporarily occupied part of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Oblast, regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said on national television on April 12.
"Details on each captive are scarce, as the occupiers often hide their identities and locations," Fedorov explained. "What we do know usually comes from the detainees' families, friends, or through individuals navigating Russia's dubious administrative setups in these territories."
Amidst these troubling circumstances, Fedorov highlighted the intensification of "filtration" actions and forced conscription by Russian forces. He advised Ukrainians in the occupied areas to consider evacuation routes through Crimea or other designated checkpoints like Kolotylivka, Berdyansk, Mariupol, and Novoazovsk, aiming for safe havens in EU countries or Georgia, despite the inherent risks of these journeys.
On March 18, the tenth anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea, Amnesty International highlighted Russia's severe restrictions on freedom of religion and belief, media activity and education during its decade-long occupation of the peninsula.
Read also:
Russians using relatives of Ukrainian POWs to split society, call to protest, spark discontent — ISW
How Russia pushes its citizenship in occupied Ukrainian territory
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