Humanitarian Mission to Rescue People Begins in Oleshky — Budanov

Ukraine has launched a humanitarian mission in occupied Oleshky under a localized ceasefire to evacuate civilians, including 1,700 residents facing shortages of food and medicine.

An important humanitarian mission has begun in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region. A bilateral ceasefire has been declared in the area where the mission is taking place.

According to NV.ua, this was announced by Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov on the morning of Tuesday, October 27.

According to him, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets has traveled to the area to coordinate the process.

“It is critically important that this mission to rescue our people is carried out successfully and safely. I am sincerely grateful to everyone involved in conducting and supporting this operation,” Budanov stressed, adding that every Ukrainian life is invaluable.

On the night of October 27, Lubinets announced that a ceasefire had been introduced at 3:00 a.m. Kyiv time in temporarily occupied Oleshky and other designated areas associated with the humanitarian mission.

According to him, Ukraine is conducting the humanitarian mission jointly with Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Yana Lantratova, with the mediation and coordination of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.

In an interview with TSN published on October 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that Russia “will do everything to clear the roads in such a way that these people (residents) head toward Russia and stay there.” He expressed the view that the Russians would not agree to “simply let the people go unconditionally.”

At the same time, the Ukrainian president said that some people would be evacuated to Ukrainian-controlled territory one way or another.

“The main thing is how many people are trapped and how to unblock them so they can live. Ideally, they should be able to achieve their goal and evacuate to us, to Ukraine, which will, of course, provide them with everything they need and support them,” Zelenskyy said.

On October 17, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported that around 1,700 people remained in Oleshky, suffering from shortages of food and medicine and lacking a safe evacuation route.

Ceasefire in Oleshky — What We Know

On October 23, the White House announced that U.S. First Lady Melania Trump had secured a local ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine, providing for a temporary cessation of hostilities in the city of Oleshky.

On October 24, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said the ceasefire would take effect on October 27 at 3:00 a.m. Kyiv time.

“The Russian commissioner informed me that the ceasefire would also be in effect on the Russian side starting at 4:00 a.m. Moscow time on October 27. In other words, the times are the same,” he said.

On the night of October 27, Lubinets announced that a ceasefire had been introduced in designated areas associated with the humanitarian mission, effective from 3:00 a.m. Kyiv time and 4:00 a.m. Moscow time. He stressed that the Ukrainian side was honoring its commitments.