Russian military personnel have allegedly kidnapped 19 residents of the village of Sopych (Esmanska community, Sumy region) and taken them to Russian territory. Ukrainian authorities have already appealed to the Russian human rights commissioner.
This was reported by the Ombudsman of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets.
According to available information, initially, contact with these people was lost. Later, their interviews appeared on one of the Russian TV channels — this may indicate that they are being held on the territory of the Russian Federation.
In an appeal to the Russian Ombudsman, Ukraine demands that an urgent visit be organized to these citizens, to check their health and conditions of detention. Kyiv also asks to officially inform about their whereabouts.
Kidnappings in the Sumy region by Russians
On the evening of December 20, local Sumy media reported that Russians had infiltrated the village of Hrabovske and taken civilians who had previously refused to evacuate to the territory of the Russian Federation. This involved over 50 people.
Kordon.Media stated that Russian units continued to move towards the Vysoky farm and the village of Ryasne, which is adjacent to Hrabovske. Civilians also remained in Ryasne on the morning of December 20. Evacuation began in the evening of the same day.
Trehubov specified that on the night of December 20, units of the Russian 36th Brigade entered the area of the border village of Hrabovske and tried to penetrate into the territory of Ukraine up to one kilometer. After capturing the village, the Russians forcibly deported more than 50 local residents to the territory of the Russian Federation. They were mostly elderly men and women, one of whom was 89 years old.
The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets added that before the deportation, these residents were illegally detained and held without access to communication facilities and proper conditions. This was on December 18, and on December 20 they were forcibly taken to the territory of the Russian Federation.
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