Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that all evacuees returning from Oleshky will receive essential assistance. He highlighted that during the humanitarian operation in the Kherson region, a ceasefire was established, allowing for the demining of roads leading to Oleshky. This facilitated the delivery of humanitarian supplies and the evacuation of those in need.
“We expect that humanitarian access to Oleshky will remain in place,” Zelensky noted.
The president expressed gratitude to the American government and First Lady Melania Trump for their mediation, as well as to the Ukrainian armed forces for ensuring safety conditions for the operation. He also thanked Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and his team for executing the mission.
Lubinets clarified that agreements for the mission were reached with Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova. He stated that the ceasefire would last until 22:59 on November 1, marking the longest ceasefire adherence since 2022.
The oldest evacuee was 94 years old, while the youngest was just over a year. Among those rescued was a family living in a house destroyed by shelling. Due to health issues, the father could not descend from the eighth floor as the stairs were damaged, leaving the family trapped without food or water.
Additionally, evacuees included a man who survived 16 attacks from Russian drones and four missile strikes on his home. Pets were also evacuated, including dogs, cats, a parrot, and even a raccoon.
Zelensky commended all those who brought global attention to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories. He stated, “When there is global attention, there is the rescue of people. Further de-escalation steps and a genuine approach to peace are needed.”
Context
- Earlier that day, Davyd Arahamia, head of the Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada, reported that the fourth and final evacuation flight had landed in Gomel, Belarus. According to the Belarusian state agency Belta, residents of Oleshky were initially transported by bus to Anapa in Russia before flying to Belarus for their return to Ukraine.
