Oleshky: residents evacuated via Anapa and Belarus arrive in Ukraine, “the mission is complete,” says Lubinets

Residents of occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region who asked to leave the city crossed into Ukrainian territory, in the Chernihiv region, on Saturday, October 31. The humanitarian operation ran from October 30 to 31 and followed an unusual route through Russian territory and Belarus. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the civilians crossed the border and that all will receive the help they need.

“The moment we all waited for: the residents of Oleshky have crossed the border, the humanitarian mission was completed successfully,” wrote Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets, who coordinated the effort on the Ukrainian side.

From Anapa to Gomel

The route was described by David Arakhamia, head of the ruling party’s parliamentary group, who took part in the mission. The residents were taken by road to Anapa and from there flew in four aircraft to Gomel in Belarus. The last aircraft landed on Saturday morning, and the route was completed by bus to the Ukrainian border. Twenty-five buses with at least 750 seats, nine ambulances and more than 50 medics had been prepared. The oldest passenger was 94 and the youngest a little over one year old, and their pets travelled with them.

The convoys were split by destination: those who went toward Russia were housed at a temporary accommodation point in Simferopol.

Ceasefire until November 1

The operation relied on the local ceasefire mediated by Melania Trump, which took effect on October 27 and, according to Lubinets, will last until 22:59 on November 1. It is, he noted, the longest ceasefire both sides have observed since 2022. During this time the roads to the city were cleared of mines and humanitarian aid was delivered.

Zelensky thanked the American side and the US First Lady for the mediation, Lubinets and his team, and those who drew international attention to Oleshky, and said he was proud of the Ukrainian Defence Forces who secured the conditions. “When the world pays attention, people are saved,” he wrote, noting that further de-escalation steps and real progress toward peace are needed. On the Russian side, human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova announced that the two sides agreed to regular humanitarian missions. Lubinets will present the results at a press conference on November 2.