Hundreds evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky to Ukraine via Belarus

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in Ukraine after a localized ceasefire was brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, PBS NewsHour reported. The ceasefire, which began early Tuesday, allowed civilians to travel through Russia and Belarus before crossing into Ukrainian-held territory on Saturday.

The evacuees, some of whom had been trapped without food, water, or electricity and resorted to eating grass and hunting dogs to survive, were transported by bus and plane. According to BBC World, the oldest evacuee was 94 years old and the youngest was one year old.

Upon arrival at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, many evacuees were reunited with family members amid emotional scenes, as reported by France 24. Volunteers from organizations such as the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and the World Central Kitchen provided assistance, including provisions for pets.

Ukrainian authorities imposed restrictions on disclosing the number of evacuees or the exact border crossing location to protect those who remained in Oleshky and to safeguard future humanitarian missions, according to PBS NewsHour. The ceasefire is expected to continue through Sunday evening.

The evacuation operation marked the most significant truce since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine over four years ago, enabling aid and humanitarian efforts to reach the beleaguered population of Oleshky, which has been under Russian occupation since 2022 and subjected to intense fighting and starvation.

The evacuees were taken from Oleshky to the Russian city of Anapa, then flown to Homel in Belarus before proceeding to Ukraine's Chernihiv region, where they received support from government and local authorities, as stated by BBC World.