Ukraine news: Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky reach Kyiv-controlled territory

After Melania Trump reportedly brokered a localized truce, residents of Ukraine’s Oleshky managed to leave the occupied city. Meanwhile, Kyiv claimed a hit on a Russian rocket fuel plant. DW has more.

https://p.dw.com/p/5OtdJPrefer DW on Google

Two people, both draped in Ukrainian flags, hug near the bus that transported the Oleshky survivors from Belarus (October 31, 2026)
The Oleshky truce, which allowed civilians to evacuate, is set to end on SundayImage: Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERS

Skip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

  • Oleshky civilians arrive in Ukrainian territory from Belarus

  • Ukraine claims it hit a Russian plant producing solid fuel for rockets and missiles

  • Kyiv also reports strikes on military depots in occupied Ukrainian territory

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul for talks with Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Here is a roundup of events from Russia’s war in Ukraine on Saturday, October 31:

Skip next section Zelenskyy in Istanbul for talks on Black Sea shipping10/31/2026October 31, 2026

Zelenskyy in Istanbul for talks on Black Sea shipping

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Istanbul for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with Black Sea shipping among the issues on the agenda.

“We’re working to strengthen the protection of our people, our bilateral partnership with Türkiye, and real diplomatic prospects,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, using the alternative spelling for Turkey.

The Ukrainian president also plans to meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Istanbul-based Orthodox Christian leader.

Edited by:Kieran Burkehttps://p.dw.com/p/5OtssSkip next section US warns Russia of a ‘mass casualty’ plot to attack Moscow10/31/2026October 31, 2026

US warns Russia of a ‘mass casualty’ plot to attack Moscow

The US embassy in Russia warned there was “a credible threat of a mass casualty event” at a historical site in southern Moscow. 

“The US government is coordinating with appropriate Russian authorities on a response,” the US embassy in Moscow said in a post on X.

The alleged plot would target the Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve, a sprawling complex of palaces and gardens built under the orders of Empress Cathrine the Great in the late 18th century.

Russia’s federal law enforcement agency, the FSB, said it received the warning and was doing “appropriate work” in response to it, according to Russian news agencies. 

Edited by:Kieran Burkehttps://p.dw.com/p/5OuDeSkip next section Ukraine says it hit Russian rocket fuel factory10/31/2026October 31, 2026

Ukraine says it hit Russian rocket fuel factory

A satellite photo of a factory with a Ukrainian-language caption reading 'A strike on a rocket fuel plant' (October 31, 2026)
Ukrainian forces published satellite images showing the alleged impact of their attackImage: Generalstab der Streitkräfte der Ukraine/Telegram

Ukraine‘s military said it struck a factory producing solid rocket fuel in Russia’s Rostov region, setting a warehouse ablaze and damaging four production workshops.

The attack on the Kamensky plant in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky involved drones and Neptune missiles, according to the Ukrainian account.

The military said the plant supplies fuel for ammunition used by Russia’s Uragan, Smerch and Tornado-S multiple-launch rocket systems, as well as other missiles and air-launched weapons.

Ukraine also reported strikes on four Russian military supply depots in occupied parts of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk regions.

The claims have not been independently verified.

Edited by:Kieran Burkehttps://p.dw.com/p/5OtqzSkip next section Ukraine welcomes civilians from Oleshky after complex evacuation effort10/31/2026October 31, 2026

Ukraine welcomes civilians from Oleshky after complex evacuation effort

A woman draped in a Ukrainian flag ties a similar flag on her dog's back (October 31, 2026)
Ukrainian officials said evacuees brought pets, including dogs, cats, a parrot, and a racoonImage: Genya Savilov/AFP

First evacuees from the Russian-occupied Oleshky have reached Ukrainian-controlled territory amid a localized ceasefire.

Oleshky, near the front line in the southern Kherson region, has been occupied by Russia since 2022. In recent weeks, the town has faced a severe humanitarian crisis.

Both sides have recently agreed to a localized ceasefire to extract the estimated 2,000 civilians still in Oleshky, down from its pre-invasion population of 24,000.

Moscow and Kyiv credited the US first lady, Melania Trump, with brokering the truce.

Residents were given a choice to go to Russia or travel via Belarus to the part of Ukraine controlled by Kyiv.

 Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said the initiative required “an enormous amount of work.”

He said evacuees included a one-year-old baby and a 94-year-old resident of Oleshky. The evacuees brought pets, including dogs, cats, a parrot and a raccoon, according to Lubinets.

He expressed hope that the Oleshky arrangement can be replicated elsewhere.

The truce started on Tuesday and is due to end on Sunday night.

Edited by:Kieran Burkehttps://p.dw.com/p/5OtuJSkip next section Welcome to our coverage10/31/2026October 31, 2026

Welcome to our coverage

Richard Connor | Darko Janjevic

Welcome to DW’s coverage of the latest developments in the Russian war on Ukraine.

You join us as Ukraine welcomes evacuees from Oleshky, a town in the Kherson region that has been occupied by Russia since 2022.

Meanwhile, Kyiv claimed it hit the Kamensky plant in the Rostov region deep inside Russia. The factory produces solid fuel for rockets and missiles.

Stay tuned for the latest news and analysis from the ongoing war.

Edited by:Kieran Burkehttps://p.dw.com/p/5OtezShow more posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About the Author

Easy WordPress Websites Builder: Versatile Demos for Blogs, News, eCommerce and More – One-Click Import, No Coding! 1000+ Ready-made Templates for Stunning Newspaper, Magazine, Blog, and Publishing Websites.

BlockSpare — News, Magazine and Blog Addons for (Gutenberg) Block Editor

Search the Archives

Access over the years of investigative journalism and breaking reports