Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the Russian occupiers' use of Ukrainian civilians as "human shields" near Kupiansk in Kharkiv region as an unacceptable instrument of war, for which the aggressor must be held accountable.
"Russia is once again using Ukrainian civilians as a tool of war. Ukrainian military personnel have documented the movement of civilians – including children and the elderly – by Russian forces through a gas pipeline near Kupiansk toward the temporarily occupied territory. People were forced to move under threat of armed force," Sybiha said on his Telegram channel on Monday.
This information was reported by Khartia, the second Corps of the Ukrainian National Guard. The military released video footage from reconnaissance drones showing how, on September 27, 2026, Russian occupiers led a group of nine Ukrainian civilians (including children, the elderly, and a person on crutches) through an underground gas pipeline over 10 kilometers long. In this way, the invaders used the civilian population as a "human shield" to cover their own retreat during the Ukrainian forces' counteroffensive.
Defense forces did not open fire on the group precisely because of the presence of civilians. All collected evidence has been handed over to law enforcement agencies for investigation into yet another war crime committed by Russia.
"The civilian population cannot be used as an instrument of war or forcibly displaced. Such actions constitute gross violations of international humanitarian law and must be properly documented and investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable," the Foreign Minister said.
