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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

"Our residents are frightened, they are panicking, they don't know what will happen tomorrow, and when people will start being called up (to Russia's army)," Mayor Ivan Fedorov told a news briefing via video link.

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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

"Our residents are frightened, they are panicking, they don't know what will happen tomorrow, and when people will start being called up (to Russia's army)," he told a news briefing via video link.

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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

Melitopol, in southeastern Ukraine, was one of the first cities to fall after Russia's invasion in February. It is one of four regions to hold referendums that Kyiv says are a sham.

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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

Fedorov said he believed the main reason for holding the referendums was to enable Moscow to conscript Ukrainians following Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a partial mobilization last week.

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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

"The voting takes place in front of assault rifles, (Russian) men with weapons," Fedorov said.

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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

"People are grabbed (by Russian soldiers) right on the street and forced to vote, not only for themselves but for their whole families. When they (the soldiers) enter a rental house with the tenant inside, they make him vote for every person registered in that particular building."

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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

Fedorov said that passage through the Vasylivka crossing, the only official way to reach territory controlled by Kyiv, had been closed to men aged 18-35 for four days and was completely shut on Sunday.

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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

Reuters was unable immediately to independently verify the status of the crossing or the situation in Melitopol.

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Ukrainians in Russian occupied Melitopol fear military call-up

The referendums on becoming part of Russia were organised hastily after Ukraine recaptured large swathes of the northeast. Russia's parliament could move to formalise the annexations within days.