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International Delegation Inspects Sole Route for Ukrainians Returning From Occupied Territories
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An international delegation representing 20 countries and seven organizations visited Ukraine’s only active humanitarian route for civilians returning from temporarily occupied territories through Russia and Belarus, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on May 19.
The delegation included 40 representatives from foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations. They inspected the crossing point in Volyn region, where representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office assist returning civilians with documents, transportation, coordination, and emergency support.
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The field assessment took place during the 13th meeting of theWorking Group on the Human Dimension , co-chaired by Canadian Ambassador Natalka Cmoc and Norwegian Ambassador Lars Ragnar Hansen.
The delegates examined the border crossing infrastructure directly to evaluate the operational conditions and assistance frameworks established for citizens traveling through Russia and Belarus amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The diplomatic tour included regional and local officials, alongside Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ukraine Bernadette Castel-Hollingsworth.
The primary operational focus centered on the active border checkpoint, where representatives from the Ukrainian Ombudsman’s Office maintain a continuous presence to assist returning citizens with documentation support, emergency logistics, coordination, and initial reception.
Following the inspection of the active crossing point, the Working Group transitioned to the main session to review long-term support frameworks for displaced populations. A central proposal presented during the meeting involves the establishment of a transit center in Kovel designed to provide temporary accommodation and immediate safety for up to 200 people.
The delegation also conducted a site visit to the Child Rights Protection Center in Lutsk, which was established in 2025 through a partnership with Norway and UNICEF.
The visit concluded with the official presentation of Maksym Shklyoda as the newly appointed regional representative for the Volyn region, reinforcing localized human rights monitoring and support networks for internally displaced persons, returnees, and children affected by demographic displacement.
This development followed previous negotiation challenges faced by the Ombudsman's Office, including a major prisoner swap that had recently been stalled by the Russian Federation.
The Ukrainian negotiation group completed its tasks, and the required lists of names were handed over to the Russian side. Ukraine prioritized the return of the severely wounded, the seriously ill, and those who had been in captivity since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
According to Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, the entire process faced delays exclusively due to the stance taken by the Russian Federation. Lubinets stated that Ukraine decided to speak openly about the situation only after Russia made accusations regarding the alleged disruption of the swap.
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