After Oleshky: ombudsman sets up civilian return centre, 173 evacuated from Kherson's right bank

A new centre at the ombudsman’s office

On 2 November, at a press conference summing up the humanitarian mission to occupied Oleshky, Ukraine’s parliamentary human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets announced the creation of a separate Centre for the Return of Ukrainian Civilians.

He said the mission showed that Ukraine lacks coordination in efforts to bring back civilians, both those held in Russian prisons and those remaining in temporarily occupied territories. “I have made a decision and today officially announce that a separate Centre for the Return of Ukrainian Civilians will be created on the basis of our institution,” Lubinets said.

The centre will operate within the ombudsman’s office. “This centre is not being created together with the Russian side,” Lubinets stressed. He cited the pilot Centre for the Protection of Children’s Rights: its experience of return, care, advocacy and drawing international attention to Russian war crimes will be extended to adult civilians.

How many remain in Oleshky is unknown

Lubinets admitted it is impossible to establish how many people still live in Oleshky, as the data cannot be verified. Everyone who asked to leave was taken out, he said, but new requests are coming in to evacuate people with limited mobility. Those details will be passed to the Russian side with a request to evacuate them.

During the mission, the ombudsman said, 22 ambulances were used. Doctors advised some people with limited mobility not to take the chosen route, which included a flight, and several families are now travelling to Ukraine overland, accompanied by his team. Lubinets could not say whether any children remain in Oleshky.

Right-bank evacuation: 173 people

The ceasefire was also used on the Ukrainian-controlled part of Kherson region. Regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said that from 27 October to 1 November 173 residents were evacuated from ten dangerous communities on the right bank, including 24 people with limited mobility and 21 children.

People were taken out of Beryslav, Stanislav, Dariivka, Kherson and about two dozen other settlements, some of which had been almost unreachable because of shelling and mined roads. According to Prokudin, no minors remain in Stanislav and Beryslav, from where three and two children were evacuated respectively. Most evacuees went to relatives; those needing medical supervision were placed in health facilities.

Evacuation in Kherson region continues. The regional contact centre can be reached at 0800 101 102 or 0800 330 951.

Context

The ceasefire in Kherson region for the humanitarian operation began on 27 October after an agreement announced by US First Lady Melania Trump. On 31 October evacuees from Oleshky crossed into Ukraine in Chernihiv region via Belarus. Since the ceasefire ended, Kherson residents have again faced Russian attacks, Suspilne reports.

What next

Lubinets says he and his counterparts are looking for opportunities for further humanitarian steps. Details of the new centre, including its structure, how to apply and contacts, are to be published separately by the ombudsman’s office.