Russian forces use civilians as human shields during retreat from Kupiansk – Khartia Corps
Photo source: Video screenshot
Ukrainian troops on September 27 observed Russian forces escorting civilians out of the Kupiansk community in the Kharkiv region, using them as human shields.
According to the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine "Khartia," the Russian military led the group through a gas pipeline toward Russian territory, Rubryka reports.
"On September 27, reconnaissance drones of the 2nd NGU Corps 'Khartia' recorded Russian military personnel leading civilians out of the Kupiansk community in the Kharkiv region. The corps is conducting counteroffensive operations, and the occupiers are fleeing while hiding behind civilians," the report reads.
Footage released by Ukrainian forces shows nine people, including children, elderly individuals, and a person on crutches.
Men of conscription age wearing civilian clothing moved alongside the group. Khartia representatives suggest these individuals may be Russian soldiers who discarded their military uniforms to avoid strikes by taking shelter among civilians.
"Most likely, these are Russian soldiers who shed their uniforms and are escaping incoming fire under the cover of children and the elderly," the corps stated.
According to Khartia, Russian personnel led the group from Kupiansk through the village of Holubivka to the Shebelynka–Ostrogozhsk gas pipeline, then ushered them into the pipe.
Ukrainian military personnel noted that Russian occupiers use this pipeline for covert troop movements into the city. Now, according to the military, the Russians are leading civilians out of the Kupiansk community through that same pipe.
Khartia specified that children and older adults will have to walk more than 10 kilometers inside the pipeline. According to Ukrainian troops, the pipeline exits into a forest where Russian forces will likely transport the group into occupied territory. Russian personnel reportedly filmed the entire journey on camera.
Explaining why they refrained from striking the group, Khartia stated: "Ukrainian forces saw the group and did not open fire because civilians—children and the elderly—were present. The Russians relied on this. Under international law, every single one of these actions by the occupiers constitutes a crime."
Background
As previously reported, the situation proved most intense on the Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka axes on September 27. Overall, 229 combat engagements occurred along the front lines, with Russian forces incurring 2,090 casualties.
On the Kupiansk axis, Russian troops launched two attacks near Kovsharivka and Kolesnykivka.
Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attempts to breach defense lines on the Lyman axis, where Russian troops launched seven attacks in the areas of Kolodiazky, Novoselivka, Zarychne, Lyman, and Dibrova.
In late August, Ukrainian forces liberated another two square kilometers of forest area from Russian occupiers in the Kharkiv region, specifically southwest of Zapadne near Kupiansk. Following clearance operations, the Defense Forces continued advancing west of Dvorichna.
Earlier, the 2nd National Guard Corps "Khartia" reported successful counterstrike operations in Kupiansk. The corps stated that during the operation, Ukrainian forces pushed through to the Oskil River, severing Russian supply lines and liberating Kindrashivka, Radkivka, along with their environs, and several neighborhoods in northern Kupiansk. Ukrainian troops cut off ground access to the city entirely and established fire control over all exits from the gas pipeline that enemy forces had used to enter the city.
