On October 31, 2026, the fourth and, according to the Ukrainian side, the last plane carrying evacuated residents from the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region landed at the Gomel airport. This was announced in his Telegram channel by David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation and head of the Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada. According to him, in just a few hours all Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Oleshky, along with the Ukrainian delegation, will be on Ukrainian territory. Thus, a multi-day logistical operation that began on October 30 with the arrival of the Ukrainian delegation in the city and the start of evacuation is coming to an end.
Transit route: from Anapa via Gomel to Novaya Guta
Direct departure of Oleshky residents to territory controlled by Ukraine across the frontline was impossible for security reasons, which necessitated the agreement on a complex transit route. On October 30, the Ukrainian delegation together with the evacuated residents went to the Russian city of Anapa in Krasnodar Krai. From there, groups flew by planes to Gomel, Belarus. According to Belarusian state media, the first plane landed at Gomel airport around 08:00, and by midday, according to the BelTA agency, three aircraft had already landed. A tent camp was set up in advance at the airport for the arrivals, with medics, rescuers, and Red Cross volunteers on duty. In Gomel, the evacuees are waiting for dispatch to the Novaya Guta checkpoint, through which they will be able to reach territory controlled by Ukraine.
Humanitarian mission: 25 buses, 50 medics, and over 750 evacuees
The humanitarian convoy organized for the evacuation included 25 buses, 50 medical workers, and ambulances. In total, over 750 residents were evacuated from Oleshky. City residents were offered a choice: to leave for Ukraine, leave for Russia, or stay and live in Oleshky. The majority chose to return to Ukraine, while some residents preferred to head to Russia. Arakhamia confirmed that humanitarian aid sent to the residents has already been delivered, and technical support for those wishing to leave continues.
Silence regime and statements by Ukrainian agencies
According to the Ukrainian side, the silence regime in the Oleshky area continued without violations throughout the operation. The Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communications (StratCom) previously stated that the Russian military tried to restrict the real choice of citizens and pressured them to leave exclusively for Russia. Nevertheless, following the operation, more than 750 people were evacuated, and the Ukrainian delegation along with the citizens traveled the entire agreed route to Gomel. The Russian Ministry of Defense, in turn, confirmed the dispatch of Oleshky residents who expressed a desire to return to territory controlled by Ukraine to Belarus, reporting that the departure took place from Anapa airport.
The operation to evacuate residents of Oleshky has become one of the first practical results of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation's work within the framework of the agreed humanitarian regime. Crossing the border at the Novaya Guta checkpoint will complete the transit stage, after which the evacuees and members of the delegation will find themselves on Ukrainian territory.
