The UN stated on Friday that invading Russian soldiers had abducted or forcefully disappeared dozens of Ukrainian officials, journalists, and activists, warning that some incidents resembled "hostage-taking."
The United Nations Human Rights Office said it had recorded the arbitrary imprisonment and enforced disappearance of 22 local Ukrainian officials since Russia invaded Ukraine just over a month ago, 13 of whom had since been released.
The mayor of Ukraine's southern city of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, was kidnapped by occupying Russian soldiers and detained for several days before being freed, according to Ukrainian authorities.
"This appears to be a trend that is occurring in Russian Federation-occupied territories," said Matilda Bogner, the UN rights office's representative in Ukraine.
"Russian Federation forces are going deliberately to detain, and they do not tell family or anyone where they are taking individuals," she said via video link from Uzhhorod in western Ukraine to media in Geneva.
"That appears to be a type of hostage-taking in some cases."
In various places, 15 journalists and civil society activists "who publicly opposed the invasion" were also detained, according to Bogner.
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