In brief: Ukrainians evacuated from occupied Oleshky reached government-controlled territory via Russia and Belarus because a direct crossing of the Dnipro front line could have weakened Ukraine’s defenses, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. He said military and intelligence assessments shaped the route and that evacuees did not undergo Russian “filtration,” including people traveling without documents.
Residents evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky traveled through Russia and Belarus because a direct route across the Dnipro River to Kherson could have weakened Ukraine’s defenses, Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said on Monday, Nov. 2.
Speaking at a press conference after the humanitarian mission, Lubinets said the route was chosen following assessments by Ukraine’s military and intelligence services, RBC-Ukraine reported.
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“The military would definitely not have agreed to this, because they would not have done anything that weakened Ukraine’s defenses,” he said.
Lubinets said a proposal to clear a direct evacuation route from Oleshky to Ukrainian-controlled Kherson had never been considered because it would cross the front line.
Military assessments shaped the route
The ombudsman said he first sought assessments from the Armed Forces and other elements of Ukraine’s Defense Forces. Military intelligence and the Security Service of Ukraine also conducted separate assessments.
Planners considered accounts from people who had previously escaped Oleshky independently, including their advice about routes and hazards.
His office had already explained on Thursday, Oct. 29 that crossing the river was not a safe alternative: The area was mined and formed part of the front line. It said access through Russia was selected to enable the humanitarian mission to proceed safely and quickly.
Oleshky lies on the Russian-occupied left bank of the Dnipro, opposite Ukrainian-controlled Kherson. Despite that proximity, residents heading to government-controlled territory had to travel through two other countries before re-entering Ukraine.
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From Oleshky to Anapa, Gomel, and Crimea
Lubinets said he left Kyiv on Thursday, Oct. 29 with the Ukrainian delegation and two American journalists. The journey passed through Gomel in Belarus, Anapa in Russia, and occupied Crimea.
A technical meeting in Simferopol on Sunday evening addressed preparations for the convoy and other details of the operation.
After the evacuation, residents heading to Ukrainian-controlled territory traveled to Anapa before flying to Gomel. From there, they continued toward the Ukrainian border by bus.
Four aircraft carrying evacuees had landed in Gomel by Saturday morning, parliamentary faction leader David Arakhamia said. Ukrainian officials subsequently confirmed their arrival in the Chernihiv region.
The mission had prepared 25 buses with capacity for 750 passengers, alongside ambulances and transport for people with limited mobility. That was a planned transport capacity, rather than a final count of people who reached Ukraine.
Lubinets says there was no Russian filtration
Lubinets said evacuees did not undergo Russian “filtration” procedures during the operation. He also said some participants had no documents.
Those people are now receiving help obtaining documents, with continuing support being arranged, he said.
The assurances concern this specific humanitarian mission. Before it took place, the Institute for the Study of War had raised concerns about safeguards, including whether Russian authorities would permit residents a genuine, coercion-free choice to reach Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Under the evacuation arrangements, residents could choose to leave for Ukraine or Russia, while people remaining in Oleshky were to receive humanitarian assistance.
Nearly 800 evacuated during localized truce
The operation took place during a localized ceasefire that ran from Tuesday, Oct. 27 to Sunday, Nov. 1, mediated with assistance from US First Lady Melania Trump.
Trump said nearly 800 people were evacuated in total. Her figure did not specify how many went to Ukrainian-controlled territory and how many chose Russia.
Ukraine’s General Staff said the mission delivered aid and enabled civilians to return, but also accused Russian troops of using the pause to rotate units, reinforce positions, and bring in ammunition.
At the same press conference, Lubinets announced plans for a Civilian Return Center within his office after the Oleshky mission exposed coordination gaps. Its proposed work includes helping families secure returns and arranging medical, social, and psychological support afterward.
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