Evacuees from Russian-Occupied Oleshky Arrive in Belarus
Three planes carrying residents evacuated from the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Oleshky have landed at Gomel airport in Belarus. The arrival marks the latest stage in a complex humanitarian operation that saw civilians transported from the frontline city to safety.
The evacuees, who had expressed a desire to return to Ukraine, were initially moved by bus to the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula. From there, they traveled to the Russian town of Anapa before flying to Belarus. According to reports from the Belta state news agency, the group is expected to complete their journey by crossing the border into Ukraine by bus.
A Rare Humanitarian Cooperation
The evacuation is part of a broader relief operation brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, which established a local ceasefire in the Oleshky and Kherson regions. The initiative, which also involved Pope Leo, allowed for the delivery of food, medicine, and fuel to the town, which has faced severe shortages and damage since the 2023 destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
The operation saw rare, cordial coordination between Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova. While the mission has been praised for its humanitarian impact, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioned that the cooperation is an "isolated situation" and difficult to extrapolate to the broader conflict.
Despite the localized ceasefire, military tensions remain high elsewhere in the country. Officials reported that Russian strikes continued to target multiple regions, including Kyiv and Dnipro, following a deadly drone attack on a rail platform earlier in the week.
