Preliminary reports indicate that on 18 December Russian forces detained 52 civilians without access to communication or adequate conditions, before forcibly transferring them to Russia on 20 December.
Most of those taken are elderly men and women who had previously refused to evacuate.
Ukrainian President Zelensky confirmed via his X account that of the 52 people abducted from the border village of Hrabovskie, about 17 or 18 were of draft age, while the rest were women and children.
Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, said he had contacted his Russian counterpart and the International Committee of the Red Cross to demand information about the abducted citizens and their immediate return.
The politician also urged civilians in the area to evacuate due to the ongoing danger.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the abductions, likening Russia’s actions to those of terrorist groups, and called on the international community to support Ukraine in securing the return of its citizens.
Ukrainian authorities have opened an investigation into the forced deportations.
Fighting continues in Hrabovske as Ukrainian forces attempt to push Russian units back across the border.
Meanwhile, evacuation efforts are ongoing in Sumy Oblast, which remains a frequent target of Russian attacks due to its location along Ukraine’s northeastern frontier.
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Source: IAR/The Kyiv Independent/X/@BringKidsBackUA/@ZelenskyyUa