Emotional reunions with loved ones for Oleshky evacuees
The BBC's Dan Johnson travelled to the northern Ukrainian border with Belarus after evacuated Oleshky residents arrived in buses and ambulances following a temporary ceasefire.
Dmytro, a soldier in the Ukrainian military, had not seen his wife Larisa for 1,711 days when they reunited near the border between Ukraine and Belarus. The couple, along with hundreds of other evacuees, returned to Ukraine on Saturday after being evacuated from the frontline city of Oleshky under a ceasefire brokered by Pope Leo XIV and first lady Melania Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced their arrival on Telegram, expressing gratitude to Trump and others for their efforts to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky. Dmytro's wife Larisa had stayed behind, fearing she would be caught at a Russian military checkpoint during filtration. The town of Oleshky, located in southern Ukraine, had been occupied by Russia since 2022, with the town suffering a major flood in 2023 that killed hundreds and caused extensive damage.
The Russian-installed authorities failed to repair the town, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis in recent months, with residents surviving on grass and weeds.
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- Oleshky evacuees return to Ukraine under Melania Trump-brokered ceasefire egyptindependent.com
- All Oleshky evacuees receive medical care, social support – Lubinets en.interfax.com.ua
- Emotional reunions with loved ones for Oleshky evacuees bbc.co.uk
