"Responsibility lies with the country that controls the territory": the ombudsman rejected Russia's accusations regarding Oleshky

The Russian Federation, as the occupying state, bears responsibility for the situation of the civilian population in the temporarily occupied city of Oleshky, Kherson region. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets stated this on November 2 during a conversation with journalists, reports UNN.

He emphasized that the Ukrainian side had focused its efforts on rescuing citizens and carrying out a humanitarian mission.

Details 

Lubinets was asked about the Russian information campaign surrounding the humanitarian situation in occupied Oleshky. In particular, the discussion concerned claims circulated by Russian media and officials about Ukraine's alleged responsibility for the humanitarian crisis, as well as accusations that the Ukrainian side was blocking the city and access routes to it.

In response, the Ukrainian representative emphasized that the main task was to rescue Ukrainian citizens, and that the results of the humanitarian mission carried out had been documented, in particular, by international journalists.

My task was to rescue the citizens of Ukraine. And this is the main mission that we were engaged in and that we managed to accomplish 

He separately emphasized that, under international humanitarian law, responsibility for the situation of the civilian population in an occupied territory rests with the state exercising effective control over it.

It is enough to recall that the aggression by the Russian Federation began in 2014. And Oleshky has been temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine since 2022 

He stressed that it was Russia, which controls the city, that must be responsible for the situation of local residents.

To remind you 

As UNN reported, during a humanitarian mission from Oleshky, the bodies of fallen military personnel and civilians were repatriated. They will soon be handed over to Ukraine.