Russians Impose 'Forced Labor' In Melitopol To Stop Powerful Resistance Movement Of Locals

Russian forces have reportedly imposed forced labor on residents in some villages in Melitopol, Ukraine.

Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov made this statement during a briefing at the Ukraine Media Center.

The mayor said some Russian soldiers who remained in his city following the liberation of Kherson evicted his constituents from their homes and forced them to dig trenches.

"After the russists fled from Kherson, most of their personnel and weapons remained in Melitopol district and in the surrounding villages. Today, they are settling in entire villages, evicting people," Fedorov said. "We were given information that they had introduced forced labor: all residents of a captured village must go out and dig trenches."

Fedorov said Russians implemented forced labor to prevent Ukrainians from joining the "active" and "powerful" resistance movement in Melitopol.

The mayor noted that the resistance forces managed to injure a collaborator involved in seizing city property as well as destroy a railway bridge used by Russian troops to transport heavy weapons and an ammunition depot near Berdyansk.

But Fedorov said the humanitarian situation in Melitopol remains unpredictable as Russians still have control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

He added that Ukrainians were left without electricity for hours and experienced long-lasting cuts in water supply and heating.

On Monday, Russian forces reportedly converted roads and irrigation canals in Melitopol into fortified defense structures. Ukrainska Pravda, citing local outlet RIA Melitopol, reported that Russians transport construction materials for their fortifications daily.

It has also been reported that Russian troops put up advertisements offering to pay local men $1,300 to help in the construction, but they didn't specify that they would build military structures.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said they observed a build-up of Russian forces in Melitopol. Residents were also prevented from approaching the airfield area, in an apparent Russian response after Ukrainian troops liberated the city of Kherson.

Kyiv took back control of the strategic port city of Kherson after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered their troops to retreat.

The retreat was seen as a huge and embarrassing blow for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, in September, proclaimed the annexation of Kherson.