Ukrainian ombudsman appeals to Russia over abduction of villagers in Sumy region
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets appealed to the Russian side over the abduction of residents of Sopich village in Sumy region, Lubinets reported.
"Russians likely abducted and took away residents of the Sopich village of the Esman community in the Sumy region. It concerns 19 citizens of Ukraine. According to information, contact with them was first lost, and later their interviews appeared on the Russian channel," the ombudsman said.
Lubinets stressed that such actions are a clear violation of international humanitarian law — forced deportation of the civilian population and gross disregard for the laws and customs of war.
"I immediately appealed to the Human Rights Commissioner in Russia with a demand to organize an urgent visit to citizens of Ukraine, after a visit to inform me about their health condition and conditions of detention, and most importantly — to ensure their quick return home," he said.
As the ombudsman emphasized, Ukraine insists on compliance with international law and the protection of the rights of its citizens.
Abduction of residents of Sopich village
Today, the media reported that Russian forces abducted and took to Russia residents of the border village of Sopich of Esman community in the Sumy region.
Russians abducted 19 residents who refused evacuation and remained in the border village.
Interviews with them were shown on the Russian propaganda channel Vesti.
The report says that the Russian military took people to a settlement somewhere in the Bryansk region, where they are all now staying.
Head of the Esman community, Serhii Minakov, also earlier reported that contact with residents of the village had been lost.
