(Update 1720 EST): Russian state owned media has now confirmed that Stefankov was killed by an IED placed in a trash can, refuting early reporting that initially none were injured, then only two were injured.
Ukrainian Mayor Fedorov of Melitopol has reported that Denys Stefankov, one of the 118 police officers who have reportedly “collaborated” with occupying Russian forces has been killed in an IED strike on Yaroslava, Mudroho St. in Melitopol an hour ago. Stefankov was apparently the “Chief of the Peoples Police Department of the Peoples Militia” which enforces Russian law in the occupied city now.
Russian officials initially claimed no one was injured and only a single car carrying civilian passengers was damaged by the blast, a story repeated on state owned media.
Mayor Fedorov was released on March 16th in a prisoner exchange after facing interrogation for 5 days when the Russian Ground Forces seized Melitopol on March 10th. His account of the explosion has not been confirmed as of writing this.
