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50 civilians in Sumy Oblast abducted and forcibly taken to Russia, ombudsman says
50 civilians in Sumy Oblast abducted and forcibly taken to Russia, ombudsman says
https://kyivindependent.com/50-civilians-in-sumy-oblast-abducted-and-forcibly-taken-to-russia-ombudsman-says/
December 21, 2025 2:49 pm by Linda Hourani
Russian troops abducted around 50 residents of the village of Hrabovske in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast, about 200 meters from the Russian border, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets wrote on Telegram.
According to preliminary information, on Dec. 18, Russian forces illegally detained about 50 civilians — residents of the village of Hrabovske — holding them without access to communication or adequate conditions. On Dec. 20, they were forcibly taken to Russia.
“I immediately contacted the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, demanding information about the whereabouts of the illegally deported Ukrainian citizens, details on the conditions of their detention, and their urgent needs, as well as requesting measures for their immediate return to Ukraine. I also sent a letter to the ICRC,” Lubinets wrote.
The Ombudsman also urged civilians in the area to evacuate immediately, as staying in the combat zone is dangerous. He stressed the need to adopt a law on compulsory evacuation, particularly for children, from areas where there is an immediate threat to their lives and freedom.......................................
https://assets.kyivindependent.com/content/images/2025/12/sumy-oblast-take-2-01--1-.webp