{
  "id": 13594572,
  "title": "Civilians evacuated from Russian-occupied territories, including Chornobyl disaster responder",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/civilians-evacuated-from-russian-occupied-territories-including",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-11T00:38:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/civilians-evacuated-from-russian-occupied-territories-including-chornobyl-disaster-responder/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sixteen Ukrainian civilians have been evacuated from Russian-occupied regions to Ukraine, according to Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets on October 10th. The evacuees passed through the Novi Yarylovychi checkpoint on Ukraine's border with Belarus, as described by Lubinets. One of the evacuees was an elderly man with a disability who had participated in the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. He and his wife were residing in occupied Luhansk Oblast, facing difficulties in leaving due to her deteriorating health. The woman had suffered a severe stroke in April and required constant care, while her husband also needed medical attention. As their daughter awaited them in Kyiv, efforts were made to bring both parents to safety. Tragically, the woman passed away before the evacuation could occur, leaving only her husband to return. Another evacuee, a woman with limited mobility who had been living alone under occupation, necessitated specialized transportation, medical assistance, and a meticulously planned route. Lubinets highlighted the discreet preparations required to prevent Russian occupation authorities from discovering the evacuees and to protect them from further harm. The return of Ukrainian citizens is organized by Ukrainian agricultural company MHP and its CEO, Yuriy Kosyuk, according to Lubinets. The ombudsman also expressed gratitude to Charitable Foundation Caritas Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and others for providing immediate medical care, temporary housing, financial assistance, psychological support, and onward transportation to those who returned. Lubinets emphasized that crossing the border is merely the beginning of reclaiming a safe life, as Ukraine continues to discreetly coordinate evacuations from temporarily Russian-occupied territories, where residents, particularly the elderly, disabled, and those requiring medical treatment, endure severely diminished quality of life. Previous announcements by the ombudsman's office reveal that Ukraine returned 15 civilians on September 19th and 41 more through a Volyn Oblast border crossing during August and September. Lubinets emphasized that his office continues to process requests, evaluate security risks, and coordinate routes for Ukrainians still seeking to escape occupied territories.",
  "summary": "Ukraine continues to quietly coordinate evacuations from temporarily Russian-occupied territories, where residents’ quality of life is severely diminished, particularly those who are elderly, disabled or require medical treatment.",
  "key_points": [
    "Sixteen Ukrainian civilians evacuated from Russian-occupied regions on October 10th.",
    "One evacuee was an elderly Chernobyl disaster responder with a disability.",
    "Ukrainian agricultural company MHP organized evacuee returns with medical support."
  ],
  "editors_take": "This evacuation shows Ukraine prioritizing vulnerable citizens trapped in occupied territories, with humanitarian groups and a corporate sponsor aiding in their rescue and rehabilitation.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}