KYIV, Ukraine: Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from several positions near the border village of Hrabovske in the northeastern Sumy region after Russian troops crossed into the area, Ukrainian state media reported on Sunday.
According to Ukrinform, citing the Main Directorate of Communications of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russian units advanced into Ukraine near Hrabovske, prompting Ukrainian troops to pull back from nearby positions.
“As a result of the enemy’s rapid advance, Ukrainian Defense Forces units withdrew from several positions in the Hrabovske area,” the directorate said, adding that units of the Joint Forces Task Force were taking stabilisation measures.
Ukrainian authorities claimed that Russian troops entered the village and took more than 50 civilians across the border into Russia.
Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, later reaffirmed the claim in a statement on Telegram, saying he had sought information from his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, and had also contacted the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Russian authorities have not commented on the allegations.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Joint Forces Task Force said on Facebook that clashes were continuing in the border village of Hrabovske, located in Ukraine’s Sumy region.
