Kyiv and Moscow close to evacuation deal for occupied Oleshky
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman said the two sides are finalising details of a local ceasefire to evacuate civilians from the Russian-occupied town, with no date set.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's parliamentary human rights ombudsman, said on 18 October that Kyiv and Moscow are close to settling the remaining points of a deal to evacuate civilians from Russian-occupied Oleshky and six nearby villages.
Speaking to Ukrainian broadcaster Espreso, Lubinets said the two sides were discussing a local ceasefire so that residents could leave straight for government-held territory, instead of the longer route through occupied areas, Russia and Belarus.
"We are making as much progress as possible," Lubinets said. He added that difficult issues remained, but that he hoped the talks would soon produce concrete results.
The Kyiv Independent reported that no agreement had yet been made public, and that the start date for any evacuation remained uncertain. The outlet suggested, without confirmation from Lubinets, that civilians could be moved across the Dnipro River into Ukrainian-held territory on the western bank.
Lubinets estimated on 16 September that close to 6,000 civilians could still be in Oleshky and the surrounding area, including roughly 200 children, with as many as 2,000 inside the town itself, NV.ua reported. His office said it had identified 358 people in urgent need of help to leave, according to the Kyiv Independent.
According to the Kyiv Independent, Russian forces hold Oleshky and the eastern side of the Dnipro, while Kyiv's troops control the western bank. The outlet said buried mines, drone strikes and questioning at Russian checkpoints have left residents with almost no safe way out, and that Russian forces have kept Ukrainian and international aid workers from entering the occupied area.
Pope Leo XIV called Russian President Vladimir Putin last week to urge a humanitarian truce in Oleshky, and this week followed up with a call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The Vatican said the pope hoped both sides could allow deliveries of food and medical aid and a safe, voluntary evacuation of civilians.
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What we know
- Ukraine and Russia are finalising details to evacuate civilians from occupied Oleshky and six nearby settlements, ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said.
- The plan involves a local ceasefire allowing civilians to be evacuated directly to Ukrainian-controlled territory, bypassing Russia and Belarus.
- An estimated 6,000 civilians, including about 200 children, may remain in the area; up to 2,000 are believed to be in Oleshky itself.
- No final agreement has been announced and the timing of any evacuation is unknown.
- Pope Leo XIV has called both Putin and Zelensky to urge a humanitarian truce and safe, voluntary evacuation.
Not yet confirmed
- The exact mechanism for any evacuation, including a possible crossing of the Dnipro River, has not been confirmed by Lubinets.
- No date has been set for an evacuation or ceasefire to begin.
Why it matters for Europe
Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since the early days of the full-scale invasion and residents face severe shortages of food, water and electricity. Food was last delivered to the Russian-occupied town on 26 May, according to the city's , and NV.ua reported cases of residents being forced to eat dogs to survive.
Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, called on international organisations on 26 September to mobilise aid for Oleshky. The next day, Kherson governor Oleksandr Prokudin said Ukrainian troops had used drones to deliver 4,000 kilograms of food to residents at 100 locations. In September, 12 people from Oleshky reached Ukrainian-controlled territory, the exiled head of the town's military administration, Tetiana Hasanenko, told the Kyiv Independent. Some residents have recently begun walking out alone or in pairs to the neighbouring village of Radensk, on roads mined by Russian forces.
Sources
Reported by 10 reports from 10 independent outlets in 6 countries.
- Hromadske: Узгоджують останні деталі. Лубінець заявив, що Україна «максимально просунулася» в переговорах щодо евакуації людей з Олешок
- NV: Україна та РФ узгоджують деталі евакуації з Олешків і навколишніх сіл — Лубінець
- NV.ua: Ukraine and Russia are finalizing evacuation details for Oleshky and nearby villages – Lubinets
- The Kyiv Independent: Ukraine, Russia nearing agreement on evacuation of civilians from occupied Oleshky, ombudsman says
- TGCom24: Ucraina, telefonata tra papa Leone e Zelensky: "Favorire gli aiuti e l'evacuazione di Oleshky" | Putin propone vertice a tre con Trump e Xi
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What is happening in Oleshky?
- Ukraine and Russia are close to agreeing a local ceasefire and civilian evacuation from the Russian-occupied town, Ukraine's ombudsman said.
- How many people are affected?
- About 6,000 civilians, including roughly 200 children, may remain in Oleshky and nearby settlements, according to ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
- Who else is involved in the talks?
- Pope Leo XIV has spoken separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to urge a humanitarian truce, the Vatican said.
This article was written with AI assistance from 12 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.