Residents of another village in Sumy Oblast abducted by Russians, local journalists say

The Russians have taken about 20 residents of the border village of Sopych in Sumy Oblast to Russia, a local media outlet has reported.

Source: Sumy-based outlet Kordon.Media

Quote: "Residents of the village of Sopych were taken to Russia. This concerns 19 locals – exactly the number who refused to be evacuated and remained in the border village in the Esman hromada." [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]

Details: It is noted that interviews with these residents were shown on the Russian propaganda channel Vesti.

According to Kordon.Media, these people are indeed residents of the village of Sopych with whom contact had previously been lost.

In recent years, the village had a population of about 300 residents, but they gradually began leaving the border area, with 19 people staying and submitting statements refusing to be evacuated.

Update: Earlier, the Communications Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine told Suspilne in response to an request for comment that the Russians are attempting to establish positions along the border in Sumy Oblast, but units of the Ukrainian defence forces are holding back their advance. In particular, it was noted that Russian forces are sustaining losses near the village of Sopych in Sumy Oblast.

It was also stressed that the actions of Russian servicemen in the border areas of Sumy Oblast constitute gross violations of international humanitarian law and the laws and customs of war.

"…the situation requires the continuation of the evacuation of civilians from the combat zone and border areas," the statement said.

Background:

• Kordon.Media reported on 20 December 2025 that Russian troops had entered the border village of Hrabovske in Sumy Oblast.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 22 December 2025 that Russian troops had taken 52 civilians captive, including children in the village of Hrabovske, and had also captured 13 members of the defence forces.
• The next day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that Russian troops had crossed Ukraine's state border near the village of Hrabovske in Sumy Oblast on the border with Russia and had taken over 50 civilians from there. It was noted that "stabilisation measures" were ongoing there.

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