Evacuated Ukrainians from Russian-occupied Oleshky arrive in Belarus

Evacuated Ukrainians from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have arrived in Belarus and are set to return to Ukraine, authorities announced on Saturday. The evacuation was facilitated by a humanitarian ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, which took effect across the frontline region of Kherson on Tuesday. The last plane carrying Oleshky residents touched down in Gomel, Belarus, marking the end of their journey.

A bus convoy of Oleshky evacuees left Gomel airport and headed towards the Ukrainian border, according to Belarusian state media and a senior Ukrainian official, David Arakhamia. The humanitarian ceasefire will remain in place until the end of Sunday, allowing the remaining evacuees to return home.

Despite widespread devastation in Oleshky, several hundred residents decided to remain in the war-torn city, despite a lack of essential services like gas, electricity, and running water. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, visited Oleshky on Friday to ensure those who choose to stay receive adequate humanitarian assistance.

Lubinets and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, traveled to Oleshky together to coordinate the evacuation efforts. This marked the first time a Ukrainian official visited Russian-occupied territory since the war began. While some in Ukraine have criticized Lubinets for meeting with a representative of the Russian occupying force, he maintains that the cooperation is aimed at saving lives.