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“Our Dear Ones”: First Footage Shows Oleshky Residents Greeting Ukrainian Ombudsman
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The first footage from a Ukrainian humanitarian mission inside Russian-occupied Oleshky shows residents packed and waiting for buses that are expected to evacuate them to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets arrived in Oleshky as part of the humanitarian mission and met residents preparing to leave the occupied city, his office reported on October 30.
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At the beginning of the footage, one woman greets Lubinets emotionally: “Our dear ones.”
Residents said they had already prepared for evacuation, labeling their bags with their names and phone numbers while waiting for transportation.
“We are bringing the buses in now. Everyone who is going to Ukraine—we will tell you which buses will take you,” Lubinets told residents.
Another woman, who introduced herself as Anna Leonidivna, recognized the Ukrainian ombudsman during the meeting.
The mission is intended both to deliver humanitarian assistance and to evacuate civilians who want to leave Oleshky. A temporary ceasefire was arranged for the operation, with Ukraine’s Ombudsman Office crediting US First Lady Melania Trump with helping facilitate and coordinate the process.
Ahead of the mission, Ukrainian and Russian human rights commissioners said designated routes had been cleared of mines and that the sides had agreed on the conditions needed for the humanitarian operation.
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The Ukrainian delegation traveled first to Gomel in Belarus, then to Anapa in Russia, before continuing through occupied Crimea to Oleshky. The same route is expected to be used to evacuate residents who choose to leave.
Lubinets has said civilians will be able to decide for themselves whether they want to travel to Ukrainian-controlled territory or to Russia.
Organizers prepared 25 buses with capacity for around 750 people, along with ambulances for residents with limited mobility.
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Particular attention is being given to elderly people, people with disabilities, and those unable to care for themselves.
The humanitarian cargo reportedly includes food, medicine, drinking water, hygiene products, and fuel for generators.
Melania Trump has continued drawing attention to the mission and sharing updates from Lubinets as it progresses. Ukraine’s Ombudsman Office has publicly thanked her for helping create the conditions for the operation.
80 HOURS OF CEASEFIRE
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) October 30, 2026
Russian and Ukrainian humanitarian teams are on the ground in Oleshky, delivering aid and preparing the convoy for civilian evacuation.
These coordinated operations are proceeding in full accordance with the agreements established between Ukraine and… https://t.co/trVDnEJitt
“May this humanitarian mission bring an end to suffering and open a new chapter of lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine,” Melania Trump wrote.
Previously, Lubinets reported that a ceasefire in the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in Ukraine’s Kherson region has remained in effect for more than 75 hours without any reported incidents.
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