Russians in the Zaporizhia region are shooting Ukrainian prisoners of war and destroying their own fighters who lack the motivation to continue fighting.
This information was reported by the mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, during a TV marathon.
In response to a question about the accuracy of information circulating online regarding the shooting of captured National Guard fighters by occupiers, Fedorov said that he was aware of this from open sources.
At the same time, the mayor emphasized that occupiers are currently using all possible methods to restrain the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Zaporizhia front. According to him, the Russians fear that if they fail to hold the defense, Ukrainian defenders will liberate Tokmak, Melitopol, and other cities in the region.
"We understand that the enemy is in an overly aggressive state. Yes, this could have happened - the shooting of our military captives. At the same time, the occupiers cannot withstand the pressure exerted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine," said Fedorov.
The mayor of Melitopol also revealed that locals in the occupied part of Zaporizhia often see dead Russian military personnel.
According to him, the Russian army is conducting an intensive purge within its ranks on the Zaporizhia front due to problems with the motivation of fighters to continue the war.
"Not all Russian military personnel want to continue fighting against the Armed Forces of Ukraine - many of them want to lay down their arms. That's why we constantly receive reports from locals that the landing area near the front line is filled with dead Russian soldiers that nobody even collects. They are undergoing self-liquidation. This adds optimism," said Fedorov.
