Ukraine to set up dedicated coordination center to rescue civilians from Russian captivity and occupation
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, announced the plan at a news conference following the humanitarian mission in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, Rubryka reports.
The center will focus on two groups: civilians held in Russian prisons and Ukrainians living under Russian occupation. It will coordinate efforts to secure their release and return.
The new center will build on the work of Ukraine's Child Rights Protection Center. The ombudsman's office plans to adapt that model to help evacuate civilians, protect their rights, and document Russian violations.
But similar humanitarian missions may not happen again anytime soon. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow has no plans to agree to new ceasefires to allow civilian evacuations and help civilians in the same way it did during the Oleshky operation.
Peskov was responding to questions from Russian state media about whether such operations would continue. He called the Oleshky agreement a one-time arrangement.
On October 23, 2026, Ukraine and Russia confirmed an agreement to conduct a humanitarian mission in Oleshky, a town across from Kherson on the left bank of the Dnipro River. According to the White House, Melania Trump and her team helped broker the deal. Dmytro Lubinets, a Ukrainian human rights commissioner, led Ukraine's negotiating team. His counterpart, Lantratova, represented Russia.
A ceasefire began on October 27 to allow the mission to go ahead safely. Two days later, crews finished clearing mines from the evacuation routes and prepared a humanitarian convoy.
On October 30, a Ukrainian delegation arrived in the occupied town of Oleshky to carry out the mission. Under the agreement, evacuees traveled through Russia and Belarus before reaching Ukraine.
The route was chosen because of security risks along the front line. Travel in the area is restricted, and crossing the river wasn't an option: the surrounding area is mined and lies right next to the front.
On October 31, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that residents of Oleshky had crossed back into Ukrainian-controlled territory through the border in Chernihiv region. Around 50 Red Cross ambulances were waiting on the Ukrainian side, along with Doctors Without Borders staff and volunteers who helped evacuate animals. The humanitarian mission was completed successfully.
Lubinets previously shared the ages of those evacuated. The oldest person was 94. The youngest was just over a year old. People were also allowed to bring their pets.
More than 60 animals, mostly cats and dogs, were also evacuated from Oleshky. All are alive, but badly weakened. They're now undergoing veterinary checkups.
Ukraine's General Staff, meanwhile, reported that Russian forces were exploiting the ceasefire for military purposes. It said Russian troops rotated units, strengthened their positions, expanded anti-drone defenses along roads, and improved their supply routes near occupied Oleshky while the ceasefire was in effect.
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