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Ukraine and Russia Near Local Ceasefire to Evacuate Some 6,000 Civilians From Occupied Oleshky Area
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Ukraine and Russia are moving toward finalizing the details of an evacuation of civilians from temporarily Russian-occupied Oleshky and six nearby settlements to Ukrainian-controlled territory, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda on October 19.
Lubinets noted that the Russian side had taken into consideration all proposals previously put forward by Ukraine concerning the evacuation.
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Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since 2022 and is now facing an acute humanitarian crisis caused by Russian restrictions on civilian movement and humanitarian access. Russian forces have blocked regular food and aid deliveries, while mined roads and persistent drone attacks have made evacuation routes extremely dangerous, leaving around 2,000 residents trapped in the city with severe shortages of food, medicine, water, electricity, and other essentials.
“We are now moving towards agreeing the final details on ensuring a ceasefire and evacuating everyone who wishes to leave, not just from Oleshky elsewhere, but directly to territory controlled by the Ukrainian government,” Lubinets stated.
“There are still some difficult issues, so to speak, but I hope that in the near future we will all see results from these negotiations,” he continued.
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The evacuation would cover Oleshky and six nearby settlements, Ukrainska Pravda wrote.
Ukraine estimates that around 6,000 civilians may remain in the area, including up to 200 children. Up to 2,000 people are believed to remain in Oleshky itself.
Lubinets emphasized that negotiations with the Russian side are taking place every day.
“I can’t disclose many details, but I can say that, in my view, we have made as much progress as possible,” he added, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Days earlier, Pope Leo XIV called on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire around Oleshky so food and medical aid could reach civilians and residents could evacuate safely. He raised the issue directly during an October 16 phone call with Putin focused on the humanitarian situation in the occupied city.
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