Oleshky Evacuation: 750 Residents Set to Depart by Bus

Residents of Oleshky have a four-hour window to leave the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city before local time reaches 14:00. Russian and Ukrainian authorities confirmed the evacuation is underway, facilitated by a ceasefire that has held in the Kherson region since Tuesday. The pause in fighting allowed crews to clear mines from the road out of the town.

A convoy of 25 buses is scheduled to carry up to 750 people. Ambulances are included in the lineup for residents with limited mobility. The route requires evacuees to travel first into Russian-occupied territory and then to the southern Russian city of Anapa. From there, they will board a Russian government plane bound for Gomel in Belarus. The final leg of the journey is a drive across the border into Ukraine's Chernihiv region.

Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, stated that anyone wishing to leave would be given a safe opportunity to do so. He added that those choosing to remain would stay and receive necessary humanitarian assistance. Lubinets and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, visited Oleshky together on Friday. Lantratova posted a video on social media showing that locals were organized into two groups based on their destination preference.

In videos from his own account, Lubinets was seen interacting with emotional residents. He noted that many people are staying behind. "I was told that it was their own choice, we will do everything possible for the humanitarian aid to arrive," Lubinets said. Russia announced on Thursday that it had prepared dozens of tonnes of aid for those remaining. The supplies include food, medicine, hygiene products, and fuel for generators.

Several hundred residents have opted to stay in the town despite widespread devastation and the lack of gas, electricity, and running water. One resident told the BBC she decided to remain because the evacuation would not allow her to take her animals. Olena, who currently lives in Kyiv, reported that her grandmother and wider family are also staying. She said the older generation is reluctant to leave.

Olena said she persuaded her father to move only because of a newborn baby. Her grandmother’s sister died in Oleshky last winter after stepping on a landmine covered in snow. Olena described how locals transport the wounded and deceased to the hospital and morgue using garden wheelbarrows. The ceasefire is set to hold until the end of Sunday, November 1, marking the first days of peace in the Kherson region since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.