The evacuation effort in Melitopol faces delays as Russians hamper attempts of the city residents to flee. Russian troops are hampering the evacuation effort of Ukrainian side in Melitopol while at least 70-75 thousand people are still trapped in the city, said city mayor Ivan Fedorov in his interview for UA TV-marathon.

Getting to Melitopol from Zaporizhzhya what would usually take 3-4 hours, now has become a 2-day ordeal for lengthy hold-ups at Russian checkpoints.

‘They are blocking unofficial roadways not letting people out, allowing them only the passage to Crimea. Telling people they could easily go to Crimea. But our people don’t want to go to Crimea; they want to go to Ukraine.’

Melitopol mayor believes the Russian side seeks to hold up evacuation to use people fleeing from the occupied Melitopol as hostages.