A planned humanitarian evacuation from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region has raised fears of forced displacement amid reports that civilians seeking safety could first be transported through Russian-controlled territory.

The humanitarian mission, agreed with the involvement of US First Lady Melania Trump, includes a temporary ceasefire, aid deliveries and preparations to evacuate civilians.

Residents who agree to leave could reportedly first be taken by bus to Russian-occupied Crimea or Russia before being allowed to travel onwards, raising concerns over the risk of forced deportation.

The prospect has revived memories of Russia’s forced transfers of Ukrainian civilians from Mariupol and other occupied areas along the Sea of Azov coast in 2022.

First 30 hours of the truce

The temporary ceasefire took effect on Tuesday and is due to last until 1 November.

Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Wednesday that the first 30 hours passed “without a single incident”, offering a rare respite for an estimated 2,000 civilians remaining in Oleshky amid severe shortages of food, medicine and other essentials.

The truce has also allowed some Ukrainians displaced from the Kherson region to visit their homes and loved ones in liberated areas for the first time in years, after relentless Russian drone attacks, including the deliberate targeting of civilians in what has become known as a “human safari”, made such journeys too dangerous.

Euronews contacted Ukrainian officials for further details about the evacuation arrangements, but they declined to comment, citing the sensitivity of the operation and the fragility of the ceasefire.

Echoes of Mariupol’s forced deportations

In 2022, civilians fleeing Mariupol and other occupied areas along the Sea of Azov coast were transported into Russian-controlled territory, where many underwent compulsory security screenings known as filtration, involving interrogations, searches and the collection of biometric data.

Human Rights Watch documented cases in which civilians had no meaningful choice but to travel to Russia or Russian-occupied areas, while Amnesty International recorded accounts of beatings, electric shocks and threats of execution during filtration-related detentions. Both organisations concluded that Russia’s forcible transfers constituted war crimes and could amount to crimes against humanity.

The precedent raises questions over whether those leaving Oleshky will be able to choose their destination and travel onwards without restrictions. Passage through Russia or occupied Crimea would not, in itself, constitute forced deportation. The crucial issue is whether departures are genuinely voluntary and civilians retain freedom of movement.

Moscow’s assurances raise further concerns

Russia has rejected suggestions that residents could be forcibly removed from Oleshky, insisting that any evacuation would take place only with their consent.

But Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova fueled those concerns by insisting that Oleshky is Russian territory and that Russian law alone applies there.

The town remains internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, and Moscow’s claims of sovereignty do not alter its status under international law.

Lantratova maintained that residents should be free to decide whether to leave and where to go. She said the mission would deliver food, medicine and hygiene supplies and help those wishing to depart, although she claimed relatively few residents wanted to leave.

Years of isolation and a humanitarian crisis

Oleshky, across the Dnipro River from the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson, has been under Russian occupation since the early days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian occupation authorities stopped deliveries of food and other essential supplies in late December 2025, with no food or medicine reaching the town since May 2026.

The US-based think tank said Moscow had rejected Ukrainian proposals for local humanitarian ceasefires in May, July and September, prompting Ukrainian forces to deliver food by drone. It holds Russian occupation authorities responsible for the humanitarian crisis, accusing them of repeatedly obstructing aid and evacuation routes.

For Oleshky’s remaining residents, the uncertainty remains.

The success of the operation will depend not only on whether the ceasefire holds and aid reaches the town, but on whether those who wish to leave can do so freely and reach the destination of their choice.