Ukraine and Russia agree on technical steps to evacuate 6,000 civilians from Oleshky area
Ukraine and Russia have agreed on technical steps to evacuate approximately 6,000 civilians, including about 200 children, from the Oleshky area of Kherson region, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said on May 22. The evacuation, planned toward Ukrainian-controlled territory, follows negotiations held on May 15. Lubinets described the situation in Oleshky as a humanitarian catastrophe, with civilians facing daily combat, drone strikes, and shortages of food and water.
Ukraine and Russia have agreed on technical steps to evacuate approximately 6,000 civilians, including about 200 children, from the Oleshky area of the Kherson region, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said on May 22.
Lubinets announced the agreement during a press briefing following the presentation of the project “Made in Russia. Delivered to Captivity.” He said negotiations on the evacuation were held on May 15. “As of today, we have technically discussed all issues. We are waiting for a date from the Russian side when a ceasefire will be introduced and the physical evacuation will begin,” Lubinets said.
The evacuation is planned toward Ukrainian-controlled territory. “Considering that crossing the river is not possible from a military point of view, several options were proposed. We found one option that can be implemented relatively quickly, and Ukrainian citizens should first be evacuated from these settlements to a conditionally safe location, from where the Ukrainian side will take them and return them to territory controlled by the Ukrainian government,” Lubinets explained.
Lubinets described the situation in Oleshky as a humanitarian catastrophe. “Every day, people are not just under threat of death – it is happening every day. People are sitting in basements, active combat is taking place there, including drone strikes and bombings. Food is nearly exhausted, and there is insufficient drinking water. In my view, this humanitarian catastrophe has been ongoing for several months,” he said.
The first appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Russian side regarding civilian evacuation from these settlements was made in early March, Lubinets said. The situation has since significantly worsened, and it is currently impossible to verify how many civilians have already been killed in Oleshky, he added.
The settlements covered by the evacuation plan include Oleshky, Stara Zburiivka, Nova Zburiivka, and Hola Prystan, among others.