Russia has secured the return of all Kursk region residents known to have been held by Ukraine after it launched its border incursion in 2024, Russia’s human rights ombudsman told President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
“We managed to persuade Ukraine and bring back home all the residents of the Kursk region who were being unlawfully detained in Ukrainian territory,” said Yana Lantratova during her first public meeting with Putin since becoming human rights commissioner last month.
Her announcement follows the repatriation of five Kursk residents on Saturday, who were met by their families and Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein.
“They’re all home now,” Lantratova told Putin at the Kremlin.
Overall, regional authorities say 171 Kursk residents have been returned. However, the fate of 320 others remains unknown.
