‘You know what it means to defend your freedom’ – Melitopol mayor responds to ANCYL’s praise of Russia's ‘sham’ referendums

The Youth League of the ruling ANC (ANCYL) sent several office bearers to Russia-occupied eastern and southern Ukraine late in September to observe the controversial referendums organised by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government to ask the citizens of the provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kerson and Zaporizhzhia if they wished to be incorporated into Russia. The referendums were widely denounced as a “sham”, a ploy by Moscow to legitimise its military annexation of large parts of the four provinces which was a fait accompli.

Russia nevertheless claimed that the people of all four provinces had voted overwhelmingly for incorporation, despite other claims that many had been forced to vote under the eyes of soldiers. Many reports also indicated that the voter turnouts had been extremely low. 

Khulekani Skosana, described as the head of the ANCYL’s international relations subcommittee, observed the voting in the Russia-occupied city of Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia province, according to Russian TV.

He was interviewed by a Russian TV reporter and offered “kudos” to Putin’s government for giving the people of Zaporizhzhia the opportunity – which he said they had long awaited – to express themselves on their right to “self-determination”.

Read in Daily Maverick: “‘A beautiful, wonderful process’ — ANCYL defends sending observers to Russia’s sham referendums in Ukraine”

Addressing himself to Russia, Skosana said “we are with you as we fight for self-determination. And we are demanding a multipolar world. We are not going to be forcefully led by the West.”

“We believe in democracy. And this process has proven that this is a process for the people and by the people. So, quite an amazing feat… We will go back home and tell our people this has been a beautiful, wonderful process. Congratulations to the people of Zaporizhzhia!” 

This week the UN General Assembly will vote on a resolution to condemn the referendums and Ukraine is hoping South Africa will at last drop its “non-aligned” stance on the war and support the resolution. 

Read in Daily Maverick: “ANC Youth League lends credibility to sham Moscow referendums in Ukraine”

Daily Maverick asked the mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, for his view on Skosana visiting his occupied city and thereby legitimising – and then further eulogising – a process of annexing it to Russia. 

Federov (34) was not in Melitopol at the same time as Skosana. He is in exile in the unoccupied part of Zaporizhzhia. 

On 11 March 2022, soon after Russia invaded Ukraine, Federov was arrested and abducted by the Russian military as it occupied Melitopol and was charged by the self-proclaimed pro-Russian neighbouring “Luhansk Peoples Republic” for allegedly helping the banned nationalist organisation, Right Sector, in committing terrorist crimes against civilians in Donbas. The following day (Saturday, 12 March), former city council member Halyna Danylchenko was installed by the Russian occupation forces as “acting mayor”.

On that Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Fedorov was being tortured and requested his release. On 16 March, Fedorov was freed from captivity in exchange for nine captured Russian conscripts. 

Fedorov responds to Daily Maverick

Here, Fedorov responds to Daily Maverick’s questions about Skosana and others observing Russia’s referendums, and talks more generally about how his city has suffered under Russian occupation:

“Let me share with you the current true situation on the temporarily occupied territories, the legal status of a sham referendum conducted by Russian occupiers, including Zaporizhzhia region and Melitopol at the end of September and the status of so-called international observers. 

“Before the Russian invasion, Melitopol was a modern European city with a population of 150,000. Less than a half of the population remain in the city nowadays. After seven months of occupation, the humanitarian situation in the city is extremely difficult and is getting worse every day. There is no Ukrainian mobile phone and television, no access to immediate medical help or necessary medicines. The price of medicines that are available in pharmacies is twice higher than in Ukraine. The situation with food and hygiene products is similar. Approximately 70% of the city’s small and medium-sized enterprises have suspended their work. Almost 80% of the population lost their jobs due to mass unemployment and the occupation – people cannot buy the most necessary things today.

“Gas supply was disconnected in the city three months ago and the situation with the provision of communal services is worsening. There are problems with uninterrupted electricity supply because of Russian continuous shelling of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant. Problems with electricity affect the water supply which comes from artesian springs. Lack of gas makes central heating impossible for private apartments and public places like schools, hospitals and kindergartens.

“Those who stayed in the city became hostages of the occupiers. Every minute, Melitopol residents are facing the threat of looting, rape or even death. Those who want to leave the city have to queue for long days as sometimes the queue may include 4,000 people.

Read in Daily Maverick: “Why Africa must care about Ukraine’s struggle for freedom”

“Southern parts of Ukraine, including Zaporizhzhia and Melitopol, always have been and will be Ukraine. Russians were not welcomed from the very first days of a full-scale military invasion. During the occupation, Melitopol has not surrendered itself to the occupiers. Initially, these were multithousand rallies in support of Ukraine: people stopped enemy tanks with their bare hands right in the central streets of the city. Then, the majority of Melitopol citizens categorically refused to cooperate with the occupiers. Moreover, Melitopol partisans are well known outside Ukraine as they continuously destroy Russian logistics, military bases and headquarters and oppose the plans of the Russian occupiers.