Russian forces strike civilian evacuation column near Kupyansk, Ukrainian military says
Russian troops struck a column of civilians leaving Kupyansk in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast on October 13 during what Ukrainian military officials described as a forced evacuation organized by Russian forces.
Ukraine's Joint Forces Task Force said it had recorded the attack and was working to establish the number of casualties. No confirmed casualty figures were immediately available.
According to the command, Russian forces have conducted several similar operations in recent weeks, removing civilians from the outskirts of Kupyansk.
Ukrainian officials allege that during previous operations, Russian troops used civilians as human shields to cover the withdrawal of their own personnel.
The command described the latest strike as an attack directly targeting civilians and accused Russian forces of committing war crimes.
In September, Ukraine's Khartiia National Guard Corps reported that Russian troops were forcibly moving civilians, including children and elderly residents, from the Kupyansk area through a gas pipeline.
The circumstances of the October 13 strike and the number of people affected have not been independently verified.
- Share: