Z-Blogger Vanishes From Telegram After Reporting Oleshky Evacuation Figures

Russian war correspondent Vladimir Romanov, who runs the popular Telegram channel “Romanov Lite,” has stopped publishing updates after reporting that most residents evacuated from the occupied city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region had chosen to go to Ukraine rather than Russia. According to The Moscow Times, several followers commented on his last post, suggesting that Romanov had been detained by Russian authorities.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “The FSB guys sent him to the slammer at Kresty,” one user wrote, referring to a prison in St. Petersburg. A day earlier, the Telegram channel Aggregator of Truth (“Agregator Pravdy”), citing sources “close to the security services,” reported that Romanov could face criminal charges for publishing what Russian authorities might consider “fake” information about the humanitarian operation in Oleshky. The channel provided no further details. Romanov has not published anything on his Telegram channel since Oct. 31, Kyiv Post verified. However, there has been no official confirmation that he has been detained or charged. On Friday, Oct. 30, Romanov reported that 17 buses carrying evacuees from Oleshky were heading to Ukraine, while four were bound for Russia. He deleted the information from his post about half an hour later, but it remains available in an archived version. “On television, they’ll likely show more of ‘our’ buses, but the windows will be completely curtained off,” he wrote. Other Topics of Interest EU Diplomats Resist Trump’s Russian Gas Revival Plan European diplomats say Russian gas purchases have not featured in briefings on US talks about Ukraine’s recovery and security. Ukrainian authorities describe Romanov, who resides in occupied Crimea’s Sevastopol, as a propagandist who “actively supports” Russia’s war against Ukraine. Before going silent, he regularly published several updates a day, including original photos and videos from the front lines, while praising Russian military operations. According to Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), Romanov also used a bot on his blog to urge Ukrainians to provide the addresses of Ukrainian territorial recruitment centers (TRCs) and coordinates for potential strikes. The agency also said he had collected money for the Russian military through a separate Telegram channel. Romanov’s account of the evacuation broadly corresponded with information previously reported by Newsmax journalist Alex Salvi, who covered the operation. Salvi said that 11 buses carrying civilians had departed for Ukraine, while four had headed to Russia. The discrepancy between Romanov’s post and the Russian narrative prompted criticism even among pro-war commentators. The Telegram channel Reports from the Novorossiya Militia (“Svodki Opolcheniya Novorossii”) questioned why Romanov’s report could constitute “discrediting” the Russian military if a Newsmax journalist had also confirmed the same figures. “If the post about war correspondent Romanov is genuine – and not just some attempt to stir up trouble – then where exactly is the ‘discrediting’ [of the Russian military]? Especially since his information was, by and large, confirmed by a Newsmax journalist,” the channel wrote. Romanov has previously criticized actions of various Russian military units, including the Chechen Akhmat formation. In May 2025, he posted a video from the Crimean Bridge following reports of an attack. Earlier this year, he also shared information about large-scale disruptions to Starlink satellite communications along the front line. Oleshky truce A five-day ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump around Oleshky reportedly allowed Russian forces to reinforce their positions, rotate troops and move ammunition, weapons and vehicles without fear of Ukrainian drone strikes. The truce, which began on Oct. 27, was intended to halt fighting and allow civilians to evacuate. Ukraine’s General Staff accused Russian forces of exploiting the pause, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the allegations. Drone footage published by Sky News appeared to show buses and military vehicles moving toward Russian positions during the ceasefire. Russian military bloggers also acknowledged troop and equipment movements, although Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said some vehicles spotted in the area were used exclusively for demining. The ceasefire ended on Nov. 1 after several hundred civilians were evacuated. Lubinets said Melania Trump’s team helped negotiate and coordinate the operation, with Ukraine, Russia and the US signing copies of the agreement. Most evacuees chose Ukrainian-controlled territory, while fewer than 10 reportedly opted to relocate to Russia, according to Kyiv Post sources. Some remained in Oleshky However, hundreds of residents, potentially as many as 1,000, remain in Oleshky. Lubinets said humanitarian aid had been delivered and suggested similar evacuations could take place monthly. But Tetiana Hasanenko, head of the local military administration, said in an interview with Ukrinform published on Thursday that reports from residents indicated the aid was not reaching those in need. People who received assistance said they had been given too little food to last even a week. Hasanenko also revealed why some residents could not evacuate. Many were unaware of the operation because they were sheltering in basements without communications, while people with limited mobility were not transported to the designated assembly point. Others feared Russian filtration procedures and believed the evacuation journey could be a one-way trip. Some women waiting along the highway also left on foot before the buses arrived, mistakenly believing the convoy had already passed. The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) had warned on Oct. 29 that Russia could use the ceasefire to reinforce its positions while Ukrainian drones were barred from striking its forces. 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.