Ukrainian Villagers Abducted and Taken to Russia Amid Cross-Border Raid

Wed Dec 24 2025 16:06:35 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Ukrainian authorities report that 52 civilians were abducted by Russian troops during a surprise attack on the village of Hrabovske. This unprecedented raid raises concerns about the treatment and whereabouts of those captured.

In a shocking incident, 52 residents of Hrabovske, a small Ukrainian village, have reportedly been taken to Russia by invading forces. According to Ukrainian military officials, the attack involved around 100 Russian troops and occurred overnight, leading to the abduction of civilians, including children, and capturing of 13 Ukrainian soldiers. Reports suggest that the civilians were first held in a church before being transferred across the border. The situation has elicited strong condemnation from Ukrainian officials, who describe the actions as significant violations of international law.

Fifty-two residents of a Ukrainian village have been taken to Russia by invading forces in a cross-border raid on the village of Hrabovske, authorities in Kyiv say. One report indicates that thirteen Ukrainian soldiers were also captured in this northeastern Sumy region skirmish.

The attack occurred early Saturday night, as approximately 100 Russian troops descended on Hrabovske. Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for Ukraine's military Joint Forces Task Force, indicated that the civilians were initially rounded up in a church before being transported across the border.

This move to abduct civilians prior to establishing control over the territory is described as unusual by military officials.

Although there has been no comment from Russian authorities regarding the captured civilians, reports suggest they may have been taken to Belgorod, a city situated roughly 50 miles (80 km) inside Russian territory.

“My friends' mother has been taken there. There is no way of contacting her even though they tried,” said Volodymyr Bitsak, a member of the Sumy regional council. “As far as I know, they've been taken to the city of Belgorod and are being held at an unknown location.”

Lt-Col Trehubov confirmed that hostilities were still ongoing in the southern part of Hrabovske at the time of reporting, but Deep State, a Ukrainian website monitoring battlefield conditions, later stated that Russian forces had successfully captured the village.

On Tuesday, the Russian defense ministry claimed that their forces had effectively targeted Ukrainian positions in Hrabovske and several other villages within the Sumy region.

In a related development, the Ukrainian military announced it had withdrawn from the beleaguered town of Siversk to safeguard the lives of its soldiers.

According to reports, the Russian takeover of Hrabovske places their forces in closer proximity to key urban areas in the Donetsk region, such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, located about 35km (21 miles) to the west.

Ukrainian authorities are endeavoring to evacuate civilians from border areas, yet Viktor Babych, a high-ranking official in the Sumy regional administration, noted that 56% of residents are unwilling to leave, with 32,000 civilians—including 604 children—staying behind.

The vast majority of civilians captured were elderly individuals who had previously declined official evacuation offers. “It was a smash and grab,” remarked Lt-Col Trehubov, emphasizing the rapid nature of the raid. “They quickly rounded everyone up and quickly removed them.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed dismay over the capture of children during the raid, noting the surprise of parents who might not have anticipated such an event. “I think they simply did not expect to be taken [to Russia] by Russian military,” he stated.

Ukraine's ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets condemned the actions of the invading forces, asserting they represent serious breaches of international humanitarian law and the unlawful detention and deportation of civilians.