The Russian side has effectively blocked the continuation of humanitarian evacuation work for civilians from the city of Oleshky in the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region, which currently remains in a gray zone with a constant risk of shelling, without food, drinking water, and medicine, Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Dmytro Lubinets has reported.
"After long-standing negotiations, the Russian side is still not confirming its readiness to carry out a humanitarian mission to evacuate people... We continue to insist to the Russian side on the urgent evacuation of people who actually remain in the gray zone. These are civilians who are daily under the threat of shelling and drone attacks, remaining without food, drinking water, medicine, and other necessary assistance," he wrote on Telegram on Wednesday.
"These people must be saved. The city has turned into a deadly trap," the Ombudsman emphasized.
According to Lubinets, the Ombudsman's Office continues to collect and verify information, as well as maintain communication with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), international organizations, and relevant state bodies of Ukraine.
He stated that the Ukrainian side has fully prepared the humanitarian mission: it secured the support of the ICRC, which confirmed its readiness to participate in the evacuation in accordance with its mandate; agreed on a ceasefire regime; and the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out the necessary work for the safe passage of the mission. In addition, the UN and the ICRC Headquarters in Geneva were officially notified of the critical situation several months ago.
According to preliminary estimates, more than 6,000 people, including about 200 children, currently remain in Oleshky and the surrounding area. There have been 176 official appeals regarding the humanitarian situation, and 358 people who need immediate evacuation have already been verified.
