Galina Danilchenko, the newly installed mayor of Melitopol, Ukraine, and a former member of the city council, made the comment in a televised address.
Via Reuters
The new Russia-backed mayor of an occupied Ukrainian city told locals to "adapt" to the new reality after the region's elected mayor was abducted by Russian forces, according to reports.
Galina Danilchenko, the newly installed mayor of Melitopol, Ukraine, and a former member of the city council, made the comments in a televised address over the weekend as she called on the city to stop committing "extremist acts," Sky News reported.
"Our main task now is to adapt all the mechanisms to the new reality so that we can begin to live in a new way as soon as possible," Danilchenko said in her address, according to a translation by Sky News.
Danilchenko continued, "Despite all our efforts, there are still people in the town who try to destabilize the situation, who spur you on to commit extremist acts."
"I do urge you, please, be sensible and do not fall for these provocations," Danilchenko said, according to Sky News.
In addressing, "esteemed deputies," Danilchenko said, "We were elected by the people and our main task is to take care of their wellbeing first of all," Sky News reported.
"With this aim, steps are being taken to create a committee of people's deputies," she said. "This committee will manage all administrative matters in Melitopol and Melitopol District."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said last week that the elected mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, had been kidnapped by Russian forces on Friday amid Russia's more than two-week invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Parliament said Fedorov was kidnapped by 10 occupiers in the city's crisis center and added that a plastic bag was placed over his head.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has called Fedorov's abduction "a war crime."
