World · Europe · 1 day ago
Ukraine says talks are advancing to evacuate Oleshky residents
Ukraine and Russia are discussing an evacuation plan for Oleshky, a town in the occupied part of Ukraine’s Kherson region.
Ukraine’s human rights commissioner says the sides are working through the final details, with talks held daily.
The town has been under Russian occupation since the 2022 invasion, and residents have no safe way to leave.
People there face shortages of food, electricity and medical care, while roads out are dangerous.
The plan would take residents directly to territory controlled by Ukraine, rather than simply out of town.
About 6,000 people, including up to 200 children, may need evacuation from Oleshky and six nearby settlements.
Ukraine says difficult issues remain, but hopes the talks will soon produce concrete results.
Ukraine says it and Russia are working on final details of a plan to evacuate residents of Russian-occupied Oleshky directly to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Ukraine’s human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said talks with Russian officials are taking place daily and that progress has been made, though difficult issues remain.
The proposed evacuation could cover Oleshky and six nearby towns and villages, with preliminary estimates of 6,000 people, including up to 200 children.
Residents face severe shortages of food and medical care, while mined roads and other dangers make it unsafe to leave.
The announcement follows calls from Ukraine and Pope Leo XIV for safe evacuation and humanitarian access.
- Who
- Ukraine and Russia are negotiating an evacuation plan for Oleshky residents. Ukraine’s human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets announced the talks.
- What
- The sides are working on final details to evacuate residents directly to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
- When
- Lubinets said the talks were taking place daily; he reported progress in an article published on October 19, 2026.
- Where
- Oleshky, in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Kherson region, and six nearby towns and villages.
- Why
- Residents face dire conditions, including shortages of food and medical care, and cannot leave safely.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Russian forces captured Oleshky at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged international organisations to help evacuate Oleshky residents.
Lubinets said Ukraine and Russia had begun working out the final details of an evacuation plan.
- Proposed evacuation
- Oleshky residents would be taken directly to Ukrainian-controlled territory
- Potential evacuees
- 6,000 people, including up to 200 children
- Nearby settlements
- Six towns and villages
- Talks
- Lubinets said discussions with Russian officials were taking place every day
- Location
- Russian-occupied Kherson region, Ukraine
10 sources
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Civilians are trapped without food, water and power in a Russian-held city on Ukrainian front line
What people are saying
So there are still some difficult issues, let’s put it that way, but I hope we’ll all see concrete results from these talks soon.
In my view, we’ve made as much progress as possible.
Russians are trying to turn the Ukrainian town of Oleshky into a death trap.
No food, no supplies, no medical care, no aid whatsoever.