Kyiv, Oct 30 — A Ukrainian delegation has safely reached Oleshky, a frontline town in Ukraine's Kherson region, and the evacuation of residents there has begun, a Ukrainian parliament official said Friday.
Humanitarian aid is being distributed in the town, David Arakhamia, chairman of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, said on social media platform Telegram.
"The ceasefire remains in effect. Further details will follow," he said, Xinhua news agency reported.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said that 527 people from Oleshky were expected to return to Ukrainian-controlled territory, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.
Koretskyi said the evacuees would enter Ukraine from Belarus. Once in Ukraine, they will undergo medical examinations, receive initial medical care, and be provided with essential supplies and accommodation.
With about 2,000 people remaining at present, Oleshky lies on the left bank of the Dnieper River.
The town has been under Russian control since February 2022 and is facing a humanitarian crisis, with shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies amid continued fighting, according to officials.
Russia and Ukraine on Thursday dispatched representatives on humanitarian missions to Oleshky, a frontline town in Ukraine's Kherson region, to deliver aid to residents and help civilians leave safely amid a worsening humanitarian situation.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the operation had begun, telling the Zvezda television channel that a flight had departed from Moscow and that demining was underway as part of a complex operation.
Russia's Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova said she had set off for Oleshky on Thursday to carry out the mission.
"Our main task is to deliver humanitarian aid to the people remaining in the city. We will also ensure the possibility of a safe exit for those who wish to leave Oleshky," she said.
A Ukrainian delegation led by Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets also departed for the town on Thursday.
David Arakhamia, chairman of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, said on Telegram that the delegation would "monitor the situation and provide updates on the operation as soon as communication becomes available."
Lubinets said on Facebook that the mission's priorities were to deliver humanitarian aid and help ensure the safe evacuation of residents, adding that an agreement with Lantratova, with the support and coordination of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, made the mission possible.
With about 2,000 people remaining at present, Oleshky lies on the left bank of the Dnieper River, opposite the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson. The town has been under Russian control since February 2022 and is facing a humanitarian crisis, with shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies amid continued fighting, according to officials.
The humanitarian mission followed an agreement on a temporary ceasefire in the area to facilitate aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
The ceasefire is scheduled to remain in effect until 10:59 p.m. Moscow time (1959 GMT) on November 1, according to the Russian side.