Ukraine says Russia used civilians, including children, as cover while retreating through gas pipeline near Kupiansk
Ukraine's National Guard 'Khartiia' corps says reconnaissance drones recorded Russian forces on 27 September leading nine civilians — including children, elderly people and one person on crutches — out of the Kupiansk community in Kharkiv Oblast through the 'Shebelinka — Ostrohozk' gas pipeline. Khartiia says men of military age in civilian clothes walking alongside the group were Russian soldiers who had removed their uniforms, and that the children and elderly were forced to walk more than 10 kilometres inside the pipe. Ukrainian forces saw the group but did not open fire because of the civilians present; the military says the footage will be passed on for a war crimes investigation. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha publicly characterized the actions as the use of Ukrainian civilians as a 'human shield' and as gross violations of international humanitarian law.
Key points
- Incident recorded on 27 September by drones of the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine 'Khartiia' in the Kupiansk community, Kharkiv Oblast.
- Footage shows nine civilians: children, elderly people, and one person on crutches.
- Khartiia assesses that men of military age in civilian clothes walking alongside them were Russian servicemen who had removed their uniforms and were retreating under cover of the civilians.
- Civilians were led from Kupiansk through the village of Holubivka into the 'Shebelinka — Ostrohozk' gas pipeline and reportedly forced to walk more than 10 kilometres inside it; the pipe exits into a forest, from where Khartiia says they will likely be taken to occupied territory.
- Russian forces filmed the civilians along the entire route; Khartiia warned the footage could appear in Russian media framed as 'evacuation' or 'rescue of civilians.'
- Ukrainian servicemen saw the group but did not open fire because of the civilians present; the incident has been documented and materials will be handed over for a war crimes investigation.
- Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russian forces used Ukrainian civilians as a 'human shield' during their withdrawal and called the actions gross violations of international humanitarian law.
Why it matters
Ukraine says the incident is being documented as evidence of civilians — including children and elderly — being used as a 'human shield' by Russian forces during their retreat, with materials being prepared for a war crimes investigation. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha's public characterization raises the diplomatic profile of the event as a gross violation of international humanitarian law. The 'Shebelinka — Ostrohozk' pipeline has previously been reported as a route used by Russian assault troops to enter Kupiansk, linking the episode to a broader pattern of Russian forces moving through underground gas infrastructure on this front.
What happened
On 27 September, reconnaissance drones of the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine 'Khartiia' recorded Russian forces leading civilians out of the Kupiansk community in Kharkiv Oblast. Footage captured nine people — children, elderly people, and one person on crutches. Khartiia says men of military age in civilian clothes walking alongside the group were most likely Russian servicemen who had removed their uniforms and were retreating under cover of the civilians. The group was led from Kupiansk through the village of Holubivka to the 'Shebelinka — Ostrohozk' gas pipeline and forced inside the pipe; children and the elderly reportedly had to walk more than 10 kilometres through it. Khartiia says the pipeline exits into a forest, from where the people will most likely be taken to occupied territory, and that the same pipeline has previously been used by Russian forces to covertly bring assault troops into the city. Russian forces filmed the civilians along the entire route; Khartiia warned the footage could soon appear in Russian media framed as 'evacuation' or 'rescue of civilians,' with interviews from pro-Russian locals. Ukrainian servicemen saw the group and did not open fire because civilians, including children and elderly people, were present. The incident was documented and the materials will be handed over for a war crimes investigation. On 27 September on the Kupiansk front, Russian forces attacked twice in the areas of Kivsharivka and Kolisnykivka, according to Ukrinform.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All of the supplied sources are Ukrainian, and they uniformly present the event as Russian forces using civilians as cover and as a 'human shield' during retreat. Ukrainian reporting emphasizes the legal characterization of the actions as violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes, and highlights Ukrainian troops' restraint in not opening fire on the group because of the civilians present. The 'Khartiia' warning that Russia could repurpose the footage as propaganda showing an 'evacuation' or 'rescue' of civilians is repeated across the coverage.
Background
The 'Shebelinka — Ostrohozk' pipeline is one of several underground gas conduits that have been reported as routes for Russian forces in this war. In early March 2025, Russian assault troops were reported to have moved toward Sudzha in Kursk Oblast through the 'Urengoy — Pomary — Uzhhorod' gas pipeline; Ukrainian officer Myroslav Hai said Ukrainian paratroopers knew of the plan and blocked the pipeline exit, preventing the enemy group from evacuating. In September 2025, the 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment 'Achilles' reported that Russian forces had reached the northern outskirts of Kupiansk via an underground gas pipe; Ukrainian forces initially damaged the pipe and in December reported destroying it.