Russian fascist military administration kidnaps people in the occupied territories of Ukraine, as claimed by the Ukrainian SBU security service. Per SBU, the invaders are demanding between $10,000 and $30,000 for release, depending on the family’s wealth.

A series of intercepted calls made within the Melitopol area of Ukraine demonstrates citizens calling the ‘komendatura’ – the fascist military administration – in hope to find information about the kidnapped family members. In the best traditions of Russia, the person responding to calls is rude, unprofessional and audibly annoyed.

(M)=Man (W)=Woman (three different women)

*Komendatura = “Commandant’s Office” i.e. military administration.

Call 1:

 

(W): Good day, is this Melitopol komendatura*?

 

(M): Yes.

 

(W): I would like to make a claim, is this possible?

 

(M): Come over and make it in writing.

 

(W): Can I not do it over the phone?

 

(M): Well, of course not…

 

(W): It’s just that, your guys from komendatura arrived, and locked my husband in a trunk. Didn’t present their documents, nothing…

 

(M): Right, if you want to make any claim, come over to komendatura and make a claim in writing. Questions like that are not resolved while sitting at home. Neither resolved over the phone.

 

(W): I understand you. It’s just that they came and said they were from Melitopol komendatura, so I rang you…

 

(M): We have everyone in their places in komendatura.

Call 2:

 

(W): Hello!

 

(M): Yeah?

 

(W): I wanted to ask, do you have the Melitopol police phone number?

 

(M): No. No, I don’t have the police phone number.

 

(W): It’s just that they came here and said they were from police. Handcuffed *the husband*, put in a trunk, took away the car… They said they were from police.

 

(M): *Unintelligible*

 

(W): We called you from another number already.

 

(M): Well… call the police, what else can I say to you?

Call 3:

 

(W): Hello. Could you please tell me. I’m calling you from Tokmak. My husband, he was taken away from Tokmak, they said he was sent to Melitopol… to 58th army… The 58th army took him. What am I meant to do?

 

(M): This is Rosgvardia komendatura. You need to come over here… and… um… And I can forward you to komendatura… umm… the army komendatura.