On 12 March, the Zaporizhzhia Oblast regional administration stated that former councillor and member of Opposition Bloc,[18] Halyna Danylchenko, was appointed as acting mayor.[19] 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.[20][21] Meanwhile, hundreds of people took part in a protest outside Melitopol city hall to demand the release of Fedorov.[17] Olga Gaysumova, head of the non-governmental organization "Conscientious Society of Melitopol" and the organizer of local protests against Russian forces, was arrested.[22] 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."[18] 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.[18] 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.[23] 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.[24] On 14 March Ukrayinska Pravda reported that Russian forces had prevented new protests by blocking of the central square of Melitopol.[25] It also said "Two activists were abducted and taken away in an unknown direction."[25]