Sixteen Ukrainians, including a Chernobyl veteran, rescued from Russian-held areas

On Oct. 10, the Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman's office announced that sixteen civilians had been evacuated from territories under Russian control to areas under Kyiv's authority. The group entered Ukraine via the Novi Yarylovychi crossing with Belarus, after careful arrangements to avoid detection by occupying forces. Among them was an elderly, disabled former Chernobyl disaster responder who had been living with his wife in occupied Luhansk Oblast; she suffered a stroke in April and died before the evacuation could be completed, leaving only the husband to return.

Another evacuee, a woman with severe mobility limitations, required specialized transport and medical support. The mission was organized by the agricultural company MHP and its founder Yuriy Kosyuk, with assistance from Caritas Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other partners, who will help the returnees with health care, housing and onward travel. The ombudsman's office continues to process further requests and coordinate safe passages for residents still trapped in occupied regions.