Russlands Krieg: Russland: Ukrainische Oleschky-Flüchtlinge ausgeflogen

Russland evacuated citizens from the Ukrainian city of Oleschky, flying them to the Black Sea city of Anapa, according to Russian military sources. The evacuees, including Ukrainian human rights officer Dmytro Lubinez, were then transported to Gomel in Belarus, where they would continue their journey back to Ukraine. Exact numbers of those saved during the evacuation remain unclear, but over 200 people left Oleschky, while dozens opted for evacuation from controlled Russian territories.

Evacuees were given a choice between leaving Oleschky or staying in the rubble-filled city. Hundreds of refugees were temporarily housed in Simferopol on the Black Sea Crimean Peninsula, under Russian control, while they awaited further travel. Over 1,000 people may still reside in the isolated city of Oleschky. Prior to the war, Oleschky had a population of around 24,000.

The region, heavily bombarded and fortified with Russian military personnel, has been sealed off by Russian forces. Ukrainian human rights officer Lubinez and his Russian counterpart, Jana Lantratowa, personally oversaw the evacuation on Friday, thanking U.S. First Lady Melania Trump for brokering a multi-day ceasefire and hinting at potential future humanitarian efforts for civilians in besieged cities.

The ceasefire for the contested region of Cherson, controlled by both Russia and Ukraine, ends Sunday evening.