Twenty-five buses and ambulances have been prepared to evacuate the residents of Oleshky, — Lubinets

25 buses and ambulances have been prepared to evacuate residents of Oleshky. Photo: grivna.ua

In the town of Oleshky, in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region, a humanitarian mission is being organised for local residents. To deliver aid and facilitate the possible evacuation of civilians, 25 buses with a total capacity of 750 seats and ambulances for people with reduced mobility have been prepared.

This was announced by Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, who is currently in Armiansk and is coordinating further actions alongside the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights, Yana Lantratova.

According to him, the mission’s main task is to deliver aid to all residents of Oleshky who need it. Particular attention will be paid to the elderly, people with disabilities and those who, due to their state of health, are unable to look after themselves.

«At present, everything has been organised to a high standard. We are delivering humanitarian aid to the local residents of Oleshky. Our main task is to ensure that this aid reaches every person who needs it,» said Dmytro Lubinets.

According to him, arrangements have also been made to allow anyone wishing to leave the town to do so. At the same time, those who decide to remain in Oleshky will be able to receive the necessary humanitarian support.

Dmytro Lubinets emphasised that it is important for both sides to observe the ceasefire for the mission to take place. He also thanked the Ukrainian Defence Forces.

Humanitarian mission in Oleshky

Oleshky, on the left bank of the Kherson region, has been under Russian occupation since the start of the full-scale invasion. Due to the fighting and damage to infrastructure, local residents have limited access to food, drinking water and medicines. According to Ukrainian estimates, around two thousand people remain in the town.

On 23 October, Ukraine and Russia, with the mediation of US First Lady Melania Trump, agreed on a humanitarian mission to Oleshky. It provides for a ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid and the opportunity for civilians to leave.

The mission began on 27 October. On the Ukrainian side, it is being co-ordinated by Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Commissioner for Human Rights. According to him, demining of the roads leading to Oleshky is currently underway and may take around two days. After that, the plan is to deliver drinking water, food, medicines and equipment for the local hospital.

At the same time, according to Dmytro Lubinets, some residents wish to remain in Oleshky. The issue of delivering humanitarian aid to these people is being dealt with separately.

On 29 October, Dmytro Lubinets reported that preparations for the humanitarian mission to Oleshky were entering their final stage. The clearance of the designated routes had been completed, and the humanitarian convoy had been assembled and prepared for departure.