Mayor of the city of Beryslav, Kherson region, Oleksandr Shapovalov was abducted by Russian invaders on Saturday, March 19, and is still in captivity, according to the Facebook page of Kherson regional state administration on Monday.

"On March 19, at about 11.00 in the afternoon, the Russian occupiers abducted mayor of Beryslav Oleksandr Shapovalov and another local activist. They have been in captivity for three days, yesterday Oleksandr Mykolayovych was allowed to call his relatives and reassure them," the administration said.

The regional administration said Shapovalov had heart problems, he had a severe illness with a coronavirus infection. "The exact location of Oleksandr Mykolayovych and other captives is unknown, most likely they are in Nova Kakhovka, where the Russian occupiers are keeping them," the administration said.

It is noted that such cases are not isolated in Kherson region, every day there are reports of the capture and abduction of government officials and activists, public figures from different settlements of the region. "Together with the central government, we are doing everything so that the captives return home as soon as possible," the regional administration said.