Ukraine and Russia launch new format to evacuate civilians from occupied areas

Ukraine and Russia launched a new cooperation format to evacuate civilians from Russian-occupied territories on a weekly basis.

Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights ombudsman for Ukraine, said the arrangement allows vulnerable groups to return to Ukrainian-controlled territory. The plan prioritizes elderly people, individuals with limited mobility, and those requiring medical assistance. The International Committee of the Red Cross assists with the evacuation process.

The agreement follows a ceasefire in Oleshky, a town in Kherson Oblast, where Russian and Ukrainian forces paused fighting to allow civilians to leave. Lubinets reached the arrangement through talks with Yana Lantratova, the Russian Human Rights Commissioner. The ombudsman noted that the most requests for evacuation come from Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

While prisoner exchanges remain a primary area of cooperation, Ukraine continues to seek the release of those held for long periods and the return of bodies of the deceased. Ukrainian authorities estimate that up to 16,000 people are currently missing.