Evacuation from Oleshky ends, buses depart for Ukraine and Russia

Moscow and Kiev said the evacuation of residents from the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky had ended "without incident," as buses filled with civilians left the area for the first time in more than four years, under a US-brokered ceasefire that will remain in effect until November 1.

Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Yana Lantratova said in a post on social media on October 30 that after arriving in Russian-occupied Crimea in Ukraine, one convoy of buses headed towards Russia, while a second convoy was headed towards Ukraine.

"We are completing our humanitarian mission in Oleshky. We are currently in the territory of Armyansk (in northern Crimea)," she said in a video posted on Telegram, adding that both sides had appreciated the high standard of its organization.

The People's Advocate for Human Rights in Ukraine, David Lubinets, confirmed the evacuation, saying that residents of Oleshky who wanted to travel to Ukraine were heading to the Russian city of Anapa.

"At this point, those who wanted to leave Oleshky for Ukraine have been able to do so and are now on their way. Humanitarian aid has been distributed. The convoys have split up and I am heading to Ukraine," he wrote.

Hundreds of Oleshky residents were expected to return to Ukrainian-controlled territory via a roundabout route: after arriving in Anapa, in southern Russia, the civilians would be flown by plane to the Belarusian city of Gomel and from there by bus to the northern Chernihiv region of Ukraine.

The ring road was necessary to avoid roads along the front lines that have been heavily mined and destroyed by the conflict, triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“I am currently talking to local residents to listen to their concerns and understand what help they need most,” Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, who heads the Ukrainian delegation, wrote on Telegram on October 30.

He also shared videos of conversations with local Ukrainians, who appeared to be cheering for support and the long-awaited evacuations.

As part of the joint relief operation, aid was distributed to those remaining in the city. Lantratova said that “tens of tons of humanitarian aid” were being distributed.

Since October 27, Ukraine and Russia have observed a local ceasefire in Oleshky with no reported violations. The agreement was brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, who announced the deal a week ago.

Trump said civilians from both countries are expected to visit people in their homes to assess their needs, while those seeking to evacuate will receive coordinated assistance and transportation to their preferred destinations.

Having spent years living under Russian occupation, some residents of Oleshky had expressed concern about the evacuation process, fearing "filtration" while traveling through Russian territory, Ukrainian journalist Maria Semenchenko, who grew up in the town, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.

Residents, she said, were concerned about "the forced checks and interrogations used by Russia to identify people deemed disloyal," adding that "some of them have experienced torture in the past" and that she knew "at least one person who doesn't want to leave for this very reason."

No such incidents have been reported so far.

Russian forces occupied Oleshky at the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Moscow launched in 2022. Later that year, it effectively became a frontline town after Ukraine recaptured the regional capital, Kherson, less than 10 kilometers away on the other side of the Dnieper River.

Once home to around 24,000 residents, Oleshky's population has declined significantly due to displacement and deaths caused by Russia's war. The collapse of the nearby Kakhovka dam in June 2023 further exacerbated the devastation, with around 90 percent of the town's territory flooded.

Fewer than 2,000 people remained in the city by the fall, including about 50 children, according to Melania Trump's office. Most are believed to be elderly residents who were unable or unwilling to leave.

Trapped in a largely ruined city, surrounded by landmines, the residents of Oleshky were trapped for months in a war zone isolated from the outside world, with little or no food, drinking water, medicine or electricity.

Kiev has blamed Russia for the dire situation in the city, accusing Moscow of failing to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians. The Kremlin, in turn, has blamed Ukrainian drone strikes for its inability to do so.

Ukrainian officials and volunteers had previously told REL that they believed the people in Oleshky were essentially being held hostage to Russia's military goals in the region.

While the city has served as a key launch pad for Russian attacks in southern Ukraine, they said its residents were effectively serving as a human shield for Moscow's forces.