Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky Arrive in Ukraine Amid Ceasefire
Residents of Oleshky, a city in Ukraine's Kherson region, have begun to arrive in Ukraine after being evacuated from Russian-occupied territory. The evacuation comes as part of a localized ceasefire, the most significant truce since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The ceasefire, which began at 3am local time on Tuesday, is expected to continue through Sunday evening.
The estimated 2,000 remaining residents of Oleshky were given the option to travel to Ukrainian- or Russian-held territory, or to remain in the city with replenished food and medical supplies. According to the US first lady, Melania Trump, over 750 people were safely evacuated in the humanitarian convoy.
Relatives of those evacuated gathered at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, where aid tents, coffee stands, and provisions for pets were set up. Volunteers from organizations such as the Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, and the World Central Kitchen were also present to assist the evacuees.
Among those waiting at the border was Liza Paliy, who had not seen her father in over two years. She was reunited with him on Saturday, along with Daria Pavlyn, who had not heard from her father, Mykhailo, in about a month. He had planned to flee occupied territory but stayed behind to care for their home and animals.
The evacuation of Oleshky residents is a rare joint Russia-Ukraine humanitarian effort, providing a brief respite from the ongoing conflict.
