94-year-old evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky reach Ukraine after 19-hour journey. Over 750 residents from the besieged city cross into Ukrainian-controlled territory amid a temporary ceasefire brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. The operation, which involved a humanitarian mission and coordinated efforts between Ukraine and Russia, marks the first major evacuation from Oleshky since its capture by Russian forces in February 2022.
Residents of Oleshky, trapped in a worsening humanitarian crisis for months, began their long journey out of the war-ravaged region in bus convoys on Friday. The evacuation, which took place under a ceasefire in the Kherson region, allowed for the clearing of mines and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Evacuees, many of whom had resorted to eating garden weeds, arrived at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border to reunite with families after years of separation.
The evacuation followed a temporary ceasefire agreement reached between Ukraine and Russia, with mediation by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. The arrangement was intended to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and the departure of civilians wishing to leave Oleshky. The operation, which involved coordinated efforts between Ukraine and Russia, is the largest publicly-known humanitarian operation involving civilians from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.
Ukraine's Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and Russia's Commissioner for Human Rights Yana Lantratova coordinated the operation. The ceasefire will last until 11 p.m., making it the longest halt to the fighting in any area since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Officials have not yet disclosed the exact number of those evacuated to Ukrainian-controlled territory, citing security reasons amid the highly sensitive operation.