Evacuees from Oleshky return to Ukrainian-held areas after truce permits crossing
A temporary cease-fire in the Kherson region enabled around 750 residents of the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky to be evacuated to Ukrainian-controlled territory, where they were reunited with families and received humanitarian aid.
Around 750 people left the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky on Saturday after a cease-fire in the Kherson region allowed a humanitarian convoy to cross the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. Volunteers greeted the convoy with hand-drawn signs, coffee and flags, while nearby villagers lined the highway with torches.
The operation, described by Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets as a "extremely important moment," involved buses and aircraft that had travelled through Russia and Belarus. evacuees of all ages arrived with pets, including dogs, cats, a parrot and a raccoon, and were met by representatives of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières and World Central Kitchen.
"This is an extremely important moment. Behind us are difficult negotiations, agreements, preparations, and an enormous amount of work. But most importantly, the people who waited so long to be rescued are finally safe," Lubinets wrote in an online post.
Elderly resident Tetiana Leonidivna thanked Ukrainian soldiers for facilitating her departure, while 48-year-old Ivan Yevhenovych recounted the hardships of living under frequent drone activity and shortages of staple food. Some residents chose to remain in Oleshky, citing attachment to their homes and animals.
The White House noted that first lady Melania Trump helped broker the localized cease-fire, and Russia’s human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova said both sides had agreed to conduct regular humanitarian missions around Oleshky. Those who opted for Russian-held territory were taken to a temporary shelter in Simferopol, Crimea.
Separate reports on Saturday mentioned Ukrainian drone attacks in Russia’s Bryansk and Bashkortostan regions, and the Russian defence ministry claimed to have shot down 433 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow launched attacks on energy and railway infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands without power.