Oleshky Evacuees Reach Ukrainian-Controlled Territory Amid Local Ceasefire as Russian Strikes Continue
By Nino Kopaleishvili
Monday, November 2, 2026
On October 31, Ukrainian authorities confirmed that residents evacuated from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky had reached Ukraine's northern Chernihiv region safely after travelling through Russia and Belarus. The evacuees arrived in Belarus by plane on Saturday morning before continuing to Ukraine.
The humanitarian operation took place under a localized ceasefire, described by international media as one of the most significant and rarest pauses in hostilities since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The agreement, mediated by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, was announced on October 23. The ceasefire, which initially covered Oleshky and was subsequently extended across the Kherson region, was scheduled to remain in effect until November 1.
On Friday, October 30, a humanitarian convoy entered Oleshky, bringing supplies to residents who had remained in the city. According to the Associated Press, the convoy included 25 buses and nine ambulances, as well as food and medicine for approximately 2,000 people still living there. The operation also provided residents with an opportunity to leave the city temporarily under the supervision of the humanitarian mission.
Ukraine's Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, confirmed that he would accompany residents wishing to leave the Russian-occupied city in Kherson region.
"Everyone who wishes to leave Oleshky will be given the opportunity to do so safely," Lubinets said, as quoted by the BBC on October 30. "At the same time, those who decide to remain will be able to stay and will receive all the necessary humanitarian assistance."
Lubinets coordinated the operation alongside Russia's Commissioner for Human Rights, Yana Lantratova.
International media reported that some Oleshky residents initially expressed a preference to remain in their homes. Residents were informed about the evacuation arrangements, while transportation was organized for those who chose to leave. The buses were prepared to accommodate up to 750 people, with ambulances available to transport residents requiring medical assistance.
Before Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, approximately 24,000 people lived in Oleshky. The city has since experienced severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, as well as extensive damage caused by the war and flooding following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023.
The evacuation route for residents wishing to return to Ukrainian-controlled territory passed through Russian-occupied Crimea, Russia and Belarus. According to the Financial Times, officials assured residents that those travelling to Ukraine would eventually be returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Despite the localized humanitarian ceasefire in the Kherson region, Russian attacks against Ukrainian civilian and infrastructure targets continued elsewhere in the country.
On Thursday, October 29, Russian forces struck Dnipro railway station, killing at least 15 people and injuring at least 14 others, according to Ukrainian authorities. A Russian jet-powered drone hit a platform where a passenger train bound for Zaporizhzhia was preparing to depart.
The attack was part of a wider wave of strikes against Ukrainian cities that day. Russian forces also struck Chernihiv and Kremenchuk, killing civilians and injuring dozens more, according to Ukrainian officials.
According to figures reported by Reuters, Russia has increased its attacks on Ukraine's railway infrastructure, with 1,700 facilities targeted in 2026, compared with 1,206 in 2025.
Meanwhile, early on Friday, October 30, Ukrainian drones struck the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Russia's Samara region, triggering a fire at the facility, according to Ukrainian media reports.
The refinery, part of the Rosneft group, produces various petroleum products, including fuel used by the Russian military.
