Russian forces have crossed the border with Ukraine in the northeastern Sumy region and taken about 50 residents of a Ukrainian border village to Russia, Ukrainian media reported today, citing the military, Reuters reports.
Ukrainian public service Suspilne and the Ukrainian Justice portal reported that Russian forces entered Ukrainian territory on Saturday evening, in the area of the village of Hrabovske.
Most of the locals trapped in the village were elderly people, according to media reports.
Reuters could not independently confirm the allegations. Russia has not yet commented on the case.
Russian forces have established strongholds in several villages in Sumy Oblast in recent months, and numerous locations have been subjected to shelling.
The head of the Sumy Oblast military administration, Oleh Khrykhorov, announced on Telegram that authorities had begun evacuating residents of border villages who had previously refused to be relocated.
He did not specify which places were involved, but he called on residents of border areas to agree to evacuation.
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