Russian Occupation Of Zaporizhzhia Oblast

The Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast is an ongoing military occupation, which began on 24 February 2022, as Russian forces invaded Ukraine and began capturing the southern portion of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. On 26 February, the city of Berdiansk came under Russian control, followed by the Russian victory at Melitopol on 1 March. Russian forces also laid siege and captured the city of Enerhodar, home to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which came under Russian control on 4 March. The capital of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Zaporizhzhia, has not been taken by the Russian army and remains under Ukrainian control.

In May, Russia started offering passports in those regions. In July, Russia issued a decree which extends Russian 2022 war censorship laws to Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and included deportation to Russia as punishment. In September, the occupation forces held largely disputed referendums in the occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Kherson Oblast for the oblasts to join the Russian Federation. On 27 September, Russian officials claimed that Zaporizhzhia Oblast's referendum passed, with 93.11% of voters in favour of joining the Russian Federation. Russia signed an accession treaty with the Russian administration of the region on 30 September 2022. Russia annexed Kherson Oblast on 30 September 2022, including parts of the oblast that it did not control at the time. The United Nations General Assembly subsequently passed a resolution calling on countries not to recognise what it described as an "attempted illegal annexation" and demanded that Russia "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw".

The Russian-installed occupation force was initially called "''Zaporozhye military-civilian administration''". Its name was changed to "''Zaporozhye Oblast''" after the Russian annexation. "''Zaporozhye''" is the Russian equivalent of "''Zaporizhzhia''". Melitopol serves as the ''de facto'' capital city of the Russian administration due to Russia's lack of control over Zaporizhzhia City, which is the ''de jure'' capital.

Occupation

Berdiansk

On 26 February 2022, Russian troops captured the Port of Berdiansk and the Berdiansk Airport. By the following day, the Russian military had taken full control of the city.

Beginning on 14 March, the port was used as a logistics hub by the Russians to support their offensive in southern Ukraine and in particular the siege of Mariupol. On 21 March, Russian media Zvezda reported on the arrival of amphibious transports in Berdiansk. A Russian navy officer described it as "a landmark event that will open logistical possibilities to the Black Sea Navy".

On 24 March, Ukrainian forces launched an airstrike against the ''Saratov'', which was destroyed and sunk, and one of the two s took damage but was able to leave the port. At the time, it was the heaviest naval loss suffered by Russia during the invasion, and one of Ukraine's most significant successes.

Melitopol

On 1 March 2022, shortly after the city's capture, citizens of Melitopol held a street protest against the military occupation of the city. The protestors marched and used their bodies to block a convoy of Russian military vehicles.

On 10 March, the director of the Melitopol Museum of Local History, Leila Ibragimova, was arrested at her home by Russian forces, and was detained in an unknown location. One day later, Melitopol's mayor, Ivan Fedorov, was abducted by Russian troops for refusing to cooperate with them and continuing to fly a Ukrainian flag in his office. Russian authorities did not comment on Fedorov's disappearance, but the prosecutor's office of the Russian-backed self-proclaimed breakaway state (located within Ukraine) Luhansk People's Republic accused him of "terrorist activities".

On 12 March, the Zaporizhzhia Oblast regional administration stated that former councillor and member of Opposition Bloc, Halyna Danylchenko, was appointed as acting mayor. Former People's Deputy of Ukraine Yevhen Balytskyi was alleged to be ''de facto'' in control of the city's government by the Security Service of Ukraine. Meanwhile, hundreds of people took part in a protest outside Melitopol city hall to demand the release of Fedorov.War in Ukraine: Russian forces accused of abducting second mayor
, BBC News (13 March 2022) Olga Gaysumova, head of the non-governmental organization "Conscientious Society of Melitopol" and the organizer of local protests against Russian forces, was arrested. On 13 March, the Melitopol City Council declared that, "The occupying troops of the Russian Federation are trying to illegally create an occupation administration of the city of Melitopol." It appealed to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Iryna Venediktova, to launch a pre-trial investigation into Danylchenko and her party Opposition Bloc for treason. ''Ukrayinska Pravda'' reported that the Russian military had abducted Melitopol's District Council Chairman Serhiy Priyma and had tried to abduct City Council Secretary Roman Romanov. Meanwhile, Russian military vehicles were seen announcing via loudspeakers that rallies and demonstrations had been prohibited and that a curfew was imposed from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am. On 14 March ''Ukrayinska Pravda'' reported that Russian forces had prevented new protests by blocking of the central square of Melitopol. It also said "Two activists were abducted and taken away in an unknown direction."

On 16 March, Fedorov was freed from captivity. Some Ukrainian officials said he was freed in a "special operation". Zelenskyy's press aide Daria Zarivna however later said he was exchanged for nine Russian conscripts captured by Ukrainian forces.

On 23 March 2022, Mayor Fedorov reported that the city was experiencing problems with food, medications, and fuel supplies, while the Russian military was seizing businesses, intimidating the local population, and holding several journalists in custody. On 22 April, Fedorov said that over 100 Russian soldiers had been killed by partisans during the occupation of the city.

Enerhodar

On 4 March, the city of Enerhodar and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant came under a Russian military occupation.

Oleksandr Starukh

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