Civilians are being evacuated from part of the occupied Kherson region due to a humanitarian disaster

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has assured Ukraine that it is ready to assist in organizing the departure of civilians from part of the occupied territory of the Kherson region, where a humanitarian catastrophe is currently taking place.

This was reported by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets.

He said that there is currently a critical humanitarian situation in Oleshky, Hola Prystan, Stara and Nova Zburyivka.

People there are left without adequate access to water, food, medical care, and security. The Russians are blocking people from leaving and hindering the delivery of basic goods and medicine.

The population has decreased from about 40 000 to about 6 000 people, in particular, in Oleshky — from 24 000 to about 2 000. In total, more than six thousand people may need humanitarian assistance, most of them with limited mobility. Among them are about 200 children.

The Ombudsman appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Russian Human Rights Commissioner regarding the organization of a safe evacuation of civilians. He received a response only from the ICRC — they agreed to facilitate the implementation of the necessary measures to organize the departure of Ukrainian citizens from this territory. The parties are currently working out safe evacuation routes.

The Ukrainian side has also already submitted to ICRC a general list of people in need of evacuation. Lubinets hopes that the results of this work will provide real humanitarian solutions that will allow for the safe departure of civilians to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government.

• On the eve of the event, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine appealed to the international community regarding the serious aggravation of the humanitarian situation in certain areas of the temporarily occupied Kherson region as a result of crimes committed by Russians that violate international humanitarian law.

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