Residents evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky reach Ukraine after localized ceasefire

In a rare display of humanitarian cooperation, residents from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have begun evacuating to Ukraine amidst the ongoing ceasefire in the Kherson region. This is the most significant truce since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and is expected to continue through Sunday evening. The ceasefire, brokered with the assistance of US First Lady Melania Trump, marked a break in the brutal war.

Approximately 2,000 individuals living in Oleshky, situated along the Dnipro River, started their journey out of the conflict zone in buses on Friday. These evacuees were given a choice to travel to either Ukrainian- or Russian-held territories, or to remain in Oleshky with provisions for food and medical supplies. Russia's Ministry of Defense informed that those who chose to depart for Ukrainian-held territory were transported to Anapa, Russia, and then air-dropped to Homel, Belarus.

As of Saturday, it remains unclear exactly how many individuals opted to leave Oleshky. However, Melania Trump affirmed on social media that the humanitarian convoy had the capacity to evacuate over 750 people. At the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, relatives gathered, accompanied by tents, coffee stands, and provisions for the evacuees' pets.

Among those anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones was Liza Paliy, whose father had not been seen in over two years. Another woman, Daria Pavlyn, was also present, hoping to find her father, Mykhailo, who had not heard from in a month. Mykhailo had planned to escape the occupied region with his family after a strike killed two neighbors, but he abandoned the plan when provisions for their home and animals could not be arranged. He had left them at the border, vowing to never return.