Ukraine and Russia Finalising Oleshky Evacuation Details, Lubinets Says

Ukraine and Russia are moving to agree the last details of evacuating civilians from the occupied Oleshky community in Kherson Oblast to government-controlled territory, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said on Espreso TV on October 19.

He said the Russian side has taken up all of Ukraine's earlier evacuation proposals. “We are now reaching agreement on the final details of ensuring a ceasefire regime and the evacuation of everyone who wants to leave, not just from Oleshky but straight to territory controlled by the Ukrainian government. Some difficult questions remain, but I hope we will all see concrete results soon,” Lubinets said.

Who is still there

The evacuation concerns Oleshky and six nearby settlements. Ukraine estimates that about 6,000 civilians may remain there, including up to 200 children; up to 2,000 people are in Oleshky itself. Lubinets said talks with Russia continue daily and that, in his view, “we have advanced as far as possible.”

Background

On September 19 the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches said Oleshky was on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. Overnight on October 4 National Guard troops delivered nearly four tonnes of aid by drone for the second time. On October 16 Pope Leo XIV called Putin and asked him to arrange a ceasefire for aid delivery to the city. More in World.