Ukraine says Russian forces moved 25 civilians from occupied Kharkiv area
The Ukrainian ombudsman said 25 civilians were taken from occupied Kharkiv Oblast and their present location is unknown.
Also in:Українська
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman said Russian forces removed 25 civilians from occupied parts of Kharkiv Oblast on 9 October and took them to an undisclosed location. Hromadske and The Kyiv Independent reported the claim, which included children, younger adults and elderly residents among those moved.
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said the people were taken from territory affected by active fighting. He said their families had no reliable information about where they had been taken or the conditions they were facing.
Lubinets said video published by Russian occupation channels appeared to show civilians being pressured during an operation presented by those authorities as an evacuation. The Kyiv Independent said it could not independently confirm how the removals took place.
The ombudsman said he asked Russian authorities for a list of those taken, their location and conditions, and requested their return to Ukraine. He also sent requests to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations.
Lubinets separately warned residents not to submit passports, phone numbers or addresses through a Telegram service he said occupation authorities were using to register people seeking evacuation.
What we know
- Official · Lubinets Ukraine's ombudsman said 25 civilians were removed from occupied Kharkiv Oblast.
- 1 outlet · The Kyiv Independent The group included children, younger adults and elderly people.
- 2+ outlets · Hromadske, The Kyiv Independent Their present location was unknown, according to the ombudsman.
- 1 outlet · Hromadske Lubinets said he sought information from Russia and appealed to the ICRC and UN.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed The circumstances of the removal were not independently confirmed by The Kyiv Independent.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The case involves civilians being moved from occupied territory during active fighting, with Ukraine saying the movement was not voluntary. International organisations have been asked to help establish where the 25 people are and under what conditions they are being held.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- 24 Kanal: Росія знищила цех бренду Mangelo у Харкові: що буде із замовленнями та грошима
- Hromadske: Під виглядом «евакуації». Окупанти примусово вивезли в невідомому напрямку 25 людей із Харківщини — Лубінець
- The Kyiv Independent: Russia forcibly removes 25 Ukrainian civilians, including children, from occupied Kharkiv Oblast, ombudsman says
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- How many civilians were reportedly moved?
- Ukraine's ombudsman said 25 civilians were taken.
- Do Ukrainian authorities know where they are?
- No. The ombudsman said their current location was unknown.
- Who has been asked to help?
- The ombudsman said he contacted Russian authorities, the ICRC and the United Nations.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.