Evacuation of Oleshky Residents to Cross Russia and Belarus on Oct. 31
A signed agreement routes evacuees from the occupied area via Anapa in Russia and Gomel in Belarus to Ukraine, a path the Ombudsman's office describes as a humanitarian measure rather than a political concession.
By Rosa Fuentes ·
Ukrainian Ombudsman Lubinets confirmed on Wednesday that residents of Oleshky will be transported through Russian and Belarusian territory to reach Ukraine. The evacuation is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 31. Lubinets is currently traveling to the site to oversee the mission in person.
The route for the evacuees was defined in a document signed by Russian Ombudsman Yana Lantratova and released by Fox News. Residents wishing to leave will first be moved to the airport in Anapa, located in Russia's Krasnodar Krai. From there, a Russian Defence Ministry military transport aircraft will carry the group, along with the Ukrainian delegation, to the airport in Gomel, Belarus.
Lubinets stated that the agreement is not a military or political pact. "When human lives are at stake, saving people and achieving tangible results must come first, rather than political assessments," his office said in a statement. The office emphasized that the temporarily occupied territories remain part of Ukraine and that the mission should not become a tool for information manipulation.
The Ukrainian delegation is currently in transit to the area in Kherson Oblast. Lubinets noted that the negotiations to secure this access were lengthy and difficult. "We have only covered half the distance towards achieving our goal," he wrote on social media. He urged the public to hold their questions until he returns home.
The current evacuation plan follows a ceasefire that began at 03:00 on October 27. Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed the start of the truce. The White House previously announced that US First Lady Melania Trump secured this ceasefire agreement to address the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky. The truce is set to expire at 22:59 on November 1.
Lubinets credited First Lady Trump with her assistance and coordination in reaching this stage. "We thank US First Lady Melania Trump for her assistance, coordination and concern for the fate of these people," the Ombudsman's office added. The office called on supporters to maintain unity and avoid narratives of betrayal during the operation.
