Russia forcibly removes 25 Ukrainian civilians from occupied Kharkiv Oblast, ombudsman says

Lubinets stated that the current whereabouts and conditions of the civilians are unknown. He characterized the action as "coercion" rather than an "evacuation," emphasizing that the people were taken against their will and intimidated. Russian forces published footage of the operation on their Telegram channels, which Lubinets claimed showed signs of pressure on civilians who had not consented to relocation.

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 guise of evacuation, potentially endangering civilians and their relatives. Forcible transfers and deportations of civilians from occupied territory are prohibited under Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Lubinets has appealed to Russia's human rights commissioner for information regarding the 25 civilians, their conditions, and measures for their return to Ukraine. He has also sought assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations, and other international organizations. Russia has a history of forcibly transferring and deporting Ukrainian civilians, including children, from occupied territories since its full-scale invasion in 2022. A United Nations commission concluded in March 2026 that Russia's deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children constituted crimes against humanity.