On 31 October, residents of the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region finally returned to territory controlled by Ukraine after many years of living under Russian occupation. They undertook a difficult journey through occupied Crimea, Russia and Belarus, and managed to rescue their pets along the way. At the Ukrainian border, the evacuees were met by their families, volunteers and representatives of humanitarian organisations.
- Residents of the occupied town of Oleshky have returned to territory controlled by Ukraine.
- People were evacuated via Crimea, Russia and Belarus.
- At the Ukrainian border, the evacuees were met by their families and volunteers.
- Along with the people, they managed to rescue the pets.
- The evacuation took place during a temporary ceasefire.
The Ukrainians were greeted with tears of joy
The return of the residents of Oleshky marked the final stage of a large-scale humanitarian operation, which took place during a temporary ceasefire in the Kherson region.
In footage released following the evacuation, people can be seen holding Ukrainian flags, hugging one another and openly showing their emotions. For many, this is their first opportunity to return to territory under Ukrainian control after several years of occupation.
Some of those evacuated admit that they still cannot believe they have returned. Their relatives, from whom they had been separated for years, were waiting for them. Rest areas, hot drinks and essential assistance had been arranged for their arrival.
Among those waiting at the border was a 19-year-old Lisa Paliy. She had not seen her father for more than two and a half years after she left the occupied territory with her mother and sister.
Another woman, Daria Pavlyn, was waiting for her father to return Mykhailo, with whom she had lost contact for some time.
The Ukrainian authorities have restricted the disclosure of the exact location where the border was crossed and the number of people evacuated. They explained that this was necessary to protect those who remained in Oleshky and to avoid jeopardising any future humanitarian operations.
People were taken out of Oleshky via Russia and Belarus
The evacuation began on 30 October following the arrival in the occupied city of a humanitarian delegation, led on the Ukrainian side by the Verkhovna Rada’s Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets.
For the transport of civilians 25 buses were prepared at least 750 seats, as well as nine ambulances for people requiring medical assistance.
Residents were given the opportunity to choose where to evacuate to. Some decided to return to territory controlled by Ukraine, whilst others chose to leave for Russia or remained in the city.
Those travelling to Ukraine were first taken by bus through occupied Crimea to Anapa in Russia. From there, they were flown by military transport aircraft to Gomel in Belarus. On the morning of 31 October, all four aircraft carrying the evacuees landed there. Upon arrival, the passengers were transferred to buses for the final leg of the journey — the return journey across the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.
Lubinec personally accompanied the Ukrainians during the humanitarian mission.
Along with the people, they rescued the pets
A separate aspect of the evacuation was the rescue of pets, which the residents of Oleshky did not want to leave behind under occupation.
Special vehicles equipped with cages, feed supplies and the necessary equipment have been prepared for the transport of the animals.
According to the «We Are Ukraine» TV channel, a lorry carrying evacuated animals arrived at the Ukrainian border before the buses carrying people. Upon arrival, the animals were handed over to volunteers, who organised their onward transport and care.
Whilst preparing to welcome the evacuees, Ukrainian volunteers even made sure to set aside separate supplies of food for the dogs.
The opportunity to collect their pets was particularly important for people who had been unable to leave the occupied city for a long time due to the dangers of the journey and the difficulties involved in transporting their personal belongings.
The evacuation took place during a temporary ceasefire
The humanitarian operation was made possible following agreements on local ceasefire in the Oleshky area.
Special measures were introduced at 03:00 on 27 October. They are due to remain in force until the evening of 1 November.
The First Lady of the United States acted as an intermediary in organising the humanitarian mission Melania Trump. The following organisation has also joined the efforts to ensure access for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians: Pope Leo XIV.
Whilst preparing the routes, deminers carried out clearance operations, and food, drinking water, medicines and other essential items were delivered to Oleshky. Aid was also provided to residents who had decided to remain in the occupied town.
Before the full-scale invasion, around 24,000 people lived in Oleshky. It is estimated that there are now around 2,000 residents left there, mainly elderly people and those with mobility difficulties.
The town has been under Russian occupation since 2022. Following the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station in June 2023, the Oleshky region suffered widespread flooding, whilst subsequent fighting and restrictions on access have significantly hampered the delivery of food and medicines.
The Ukrainian side expressed the hope that the experience gained from this humanitarian operation could be used to evacuate civilians from other temporarily occupied settlements.
