Ukrainian and Russian ombudsmen travel to occupied Oleshky as local truce holds

Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, travelled on Friday to the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region, accompanying a humanitarian convoy and preparing to organise the departure of residents who want to leave, Meduza reported.

According to Meduza, Lubinets is the first Ukrainian official of his rank to enter territory held by Russia. Ukrainska Pravda, citing Lubinets’s post on X, said the two officials had been coordinating technical details daily since the mission effectively began on 23 October, and met again after his arrival the day before.

A truce that has held

Lubinets said the local ceasefire covering the mission had lasted more than 75 hours without a single violation by either side. He thanked those monitoring the pause and noted that, in his words, it is the first time since 2022 that a truce has covered such a large section of the front for so long, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

Meduza wrote that Moscow and Kyiv agreed to stop fighting in Oleshky from 27 October to 1 November inclusive. The outlet said U.S. First Lady Melania Trump reportedly helped broker the arrangement. Both commissioners thanked her, and Lubinets said her team had been facilitating the mission since 20 October.

The route and the preparations

The city cannot be reached across the front line or the mined river, the Ukrainian ombudsman’s office explained to Meduza. The Ukrainian delegation therefore went first to Gomel in Belarus, flew on to Anapa in Russia and then travelled overland to Oleshky. Residents leaving for Ukraine are to be taken back along the same path.

Lantratova told reporters, as quoted by Ukrainska Pravda, that 25 buses with room for 750 people are ready, along with special transport for about 30 bedridden residents and nine ambulances. More than 50 medical staff are working with the convoy. The buses carry water and dry rations, one is fitted for pets and another is reserved for luggage.

Those who decide to go can register and board until 14:00, she said, with aid handed out after that time so crowds do not form. The aid, she said, was assembled from needs residents had reported and includes food, hygiene items, medical supplies and fuel.

Lubinets stressed that help would reach people whichever way they choose: those heading to Ukrainian-held territory, those going to Russia and those staying in Oleshky.

Meduza said journalists from the right-wing channel Newsmax are travelling with the mission as neutral observers, according to Melania Trump’s press office. Ukrainska Pravda added that reporters from Ukraine, the US and Russia are covering the effort.

What happens next

Ukrainska Pravda cited a document published by Fox News and signed by Lantratova, under which evacuees heading for Ukraine will first be taken to Anapa. From there a Russian Defence Ministry military transport plane is to carry them and the Ukrainian delegation to Gomel, probably on Saturday 31 October.

Lubinets said he hopes the Oleshky experience can be applied to humanitarian missions in other towns and villages. Whether that happens, and whether the pause is extended beyond 1 November, was not addressed in either outlet’s reporting.