Russia forcibly removes 25 Ukrainian civilians, including children, from occupied Kharkiv Oblast, ombudsman says
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Russian forces forcibly removed 25 Ukrainian civilians, including children, from occupied territory in Kharkiv Oblast to an unknown destination, Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Oct. 9.
The civilians, including children, young people, and elderly residents, were taken from an area of the oblast where active fighting continues. Their current whereabouts and the conditions in which they are being held remain unknown, Lubinets said.
"Russia calls this an 'evacuation.' But when people are taken away against their will, intimidated, and left with no choice, it is not a rescue. It is coercion," Lubinets said.
The ombudsman did not specify which settlement the civilians were taken from or where they had been transported.
According to Lubinets, Russian forces published footage of what they described as a rescue operation on their Telegram channels. He said the footage showed signs of intimidation and pressure on civilians who had not consented to being relocated.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the circumstances of the reported removals.
Lubinets also warned that Russian occupation authorities had created a Telegram bot to collect personal information under the pretext of evacuation, potentially putting civilians and their relatives at risk.
Forcible transfers and deportations of civilians from occupied territory are prohibited under Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Lubinets said he had appealed to Russia's human rights commissioner, demanding information about the 25 civilians, their whereabouts and conditions, and measures to secure their return to Ukraine.
He also appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations, and other international organizations for assistance.
Russia has repeatedly forcibly transferred and deported Ukrainian civilians, including children, from occupied territories since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022.
In March 2026, a United Nations commission concluded that Russia's deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children amounted to crimes against humanity.
