In a significant escalation of tactics along Ukraine’s northeastern border, Russian forces have conducted an unprecedented cross-border raid resulting in the capture of 52 civilians and 13 Ukrainian soldiers from the village of Hrabovske in Sumy region. The nighttime assault occurred on Saturday when approximately 100 Russian troops stormed the border settlement, according to Ukrainian military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov.
The operation marked a disturbing departure from previous Russian military behavior, as invading forces transported civilians across the international border before establishing firm control over the territory. Eyewitness accounts describe how Russian soldiers rounded up villagers in a local church before forcibly relocating them to Russia. Ukrainian officials report the detainees were likely transported to Belgorod, a major regional center located approximately 80 kilometers inside Russian territory.
Volodymyr Bitsak, a member of Sumy’s regional council, revealed the personal impact: ‘My friends’ mother has been taken there. There is no way of contacting her even though they tried. As far as I know, they’ve been taken to the city of Belgorod and are being held at an unknown location.’
While fighting initially continued in southern Hrabovske, battlefield monitoring group Deep State confirmed Russian forces ultimately captured the entire village. The Russian defense ministry acknowledged striking Ukrainian forces in Hrabovske and several other Sumy region villages but remained silent regarding the civilian detainees.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of civilian evacuations in border areas. According to deputy regional administrator Viktor Babych, 56% of residents in Sumy’s border regions refuse to leave, with approximately 32,000 civilians including 604 children remaining in potential danger zones. Most of those captured in Hrabovske were elderly residents who had declined official evacuation orders.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed shock that children were among those detained, stating: ‘I’m simply surprised that parents treated their children like that. I think they simply did not expect to be taken to Russia by Russian military.’
Human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets condemned the operation as a ‘serious violation of international humanitarian law,’ noting that civilians were ‘held incommunicado and in improper conditions’ before being forcibly removed from Ukraine. The event represents a concerning evolution in Russian military tactics along the vulnerable northeastern border region.