The Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, reported the possible forced removal of 19 residents from the village of Sopych in the Sumy region by Russian military forces. According to him, contact with these individuals was lost initially, and later their interviews were aired on a Russian television channel.
This is reported by Finway
Violation of International Law and the Ombudsman’s Response
Lubinets classified these actions as the forced deportation of peaceful civilians, which constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law. He emphasized that such practices contradict the fundamental principles of protecting civilian populations during armed conflicts.
“I have urgently appealed to the human rights commissioner in the Russian Federation, demanding the organization of an immediate visit to the Ukrainian citizens, to inform me about their health status and conditions of detention after the visit, and most importantly – to ensure their swift return home,” the ombudsman added.
As of the time of publication, the Russian human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, had not provided any comment regarding this situation.
Background and Further Actions
According to local publication “Kordon.Media,” approximately 19 individuals were taken from Sopych in the Esman community — the exact number of residents who refused evacuation and remained in the frontline village. They were likely transported to the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation.
It is worth noting that similar incidents have already occurred. In December 2025, Russian troops crossed the border near the village of Hrabovske in the Krasnopil community in Sumy region and forcibly took Ukrainian civilians to the Russian Federation. Later, Dmytro Lubinets reported that Russia provided a list of the deported citizens and information about their whereabouts and conditions of detention.