In the occupied city of Oleshky in Kherson region, the main phase of the humanitarian mission began on Friday. As the Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada, Dmytro Lubinets, reported, a humanitarian convoy brought aid supplies into the city in the morning after the demining of the routes was completed. According to his statements, people who want to leave Oleshky should have the opportunity to do so until 14:00 on Friday, 30 October. For the evacuation, 25 buses with 750 seats as well as ambulances for people with limited mobility were provided, reports the news outlet NV.
The head of the Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov, stated on Friday in his Telegram channel that the humanitarian operation is currently underway in Oleshky. For residents who wanted to leave for territory controlled by Ukraine, transport had been prepared, and humanitarian aid had also been brought into the city. “This is an important operation, and it must have a continuation. For Ukraine, the life of every citizen is important,” wrote Budanov. On the Ukrainian side, Lubinets is coordinating the operation, with whom he is in constant contact. The chairman of the parliamentary faction “Servant of the People”, Davyd Arakhamia, also published several photos from Oleshky on social networks.
The spokesman of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, described the temporary ceasefire in the city as a separate situation that so far could hardly be transferred to the entire negotiation process for ending the war, reports the news agency Interfax-Ukraine, citing Russian media.
According to the agreements between the Russian and Ukrainian sides, the evacuation route leads through Russia and Belarus into Ukraine. According to the report, the evacuees are first brought to the Russian city of Anapa and from there flown by a military transport aircraft of the Russian Ministry of Defence to Belarus; only from there can they reach Ukraine. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi had previously stated that 527 people from Oleshky would return to territory controlled by Ukraine, but later apologised for this number and pointed out that the data are changing and official information would only become known after the evacuation was completed.
The ceasefire in Oleshky and other areas connected with the humanitarian mission has been in effect since 3:00 Kyiv time on 27 October and, according to Arakhamia, runs until 22:59 on 1 November. On 17 October, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had reported that about 1,700 people were still in Oleshky, lacking food and medicine and having no safe route for evacuation. Pope Leo XIV had asked for a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky. On 23 October, the White House stated that US First Lady Melania Trump had achieved a local ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine in Oleshky.
Earlier coverage: US, Ukraine and Russia delegations at Oleshky aid start point
