Oleshky Evacuees and Aid Delegation Cross Border Into Ukraine

A humanitarian operation to rescue trapped civilians from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in southern Kherson region has concluded successfully, with evacuated Ukrainian citizens and the official humanitarian delegation crossing the state border into Ukraine’s Chernihiv region, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Saturday, Oct. 31. Announcing the milestone on Telegram, Ukrainens head of state confirmed that the multi-stage civilian extraction reached its final objective as the convoys entered sovereign government-controlled territory from Belarus.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “The humanitarian operation to rescue people in Oleshky, Kherson region, has taken place. Ukrainian citizens have already crossed the border of Ukraine in Chernihiv region,” Zelensky stated. The arrival marks the culmination of an intricate logistical mission that began inside the occupied left-bank enclave, transited through Russian-occupied Crimea to the Russian port of Anapa, continued by air to Gomel in Belarus, and concluded with an overland coach crossing into northern Ukraine. Reception, medical triage and support infrastructure At the Chernihiv border reception area, representatives of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, medical detachments, psychological assistance teams, and volunteer relief groups, mobilized to receive the returning citizens. Emergency authorities established mobile warming shelters and organized continuous hot food distribution for the arrivals. Specialized equipment, including wheelchairs and mobility assistance kits, was provided to support elderly individuals and people with disabilities who had endured months of isolation under military occupation. Other Topics of Interest Russian Energy Strikes Cut Power to 280,000 Across Ukraine Russian strikes have hit power plants and substations in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Shostka, cutting electricity to 280,000 families and hitting rail hubs. Recognizing that many residents evacuated with domestic pets, humanitarian organizers arranged a designated animal care station equipped with potable water, specialized feed, and veterinary supplies. A dedicated transport vehicle was integrated into the humanitarian convoy specifically to transport evacuated domestic animals across the border. Complex transit from the Dnipro left bank The evacuation operation was conducted under a localized silence regime negotiated between Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets and Russian negotiating counterpart Yana Lantratova, with mediation support from US First Lady Melania Trump. The humanitarian convoy in Oleshky comprised 25 buses with a total capacity of 750 passengers, accompanied by specialized ambulances for bedridden and low-mobility citizens. While one group of evacuees opted to travel deeper into Russian territory, citizens seeking repatriation to Ukraine were transported through Crimea to Anapa. From there, four Russian charter aircraft transported the group to Gomel in Belarus, where the final plane touched down earlier on Saturday before the convoy completed its overland transit into Chernihiv region. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.