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Oleshky Evacuees Reach Ukraine After Ceasefire

Updated 1:27 PM ET · 12:37 PM ETConfirmed

World Desk

In Short: Ukrainian military positions lie just 5 km (3.1 miles) from Oleshky, but evacuees first had to travel through Russian-occupied territory to southern Russia, where they flew to Belarus, before finally being driven across Ukraine's northern border on Saturday, as reported by BBC.

The ceasefire in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, brokered with help from US First Lady Melania Trump, began at 3 a.m. Local time on Tuesday and is expected to continue through Sunday evening, according to ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation and other outlets.

Residents evacuated from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have reached Ukraine under the most significant truce since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as reported by ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation and PBS.

One evacuee, quoted by ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, said, “We thought at that time that it would be a month, two maximum, and we would return, but unfortunately, two years have already passed.” Another evacuee, Pavlyn, told ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, “We realised that, well, there was no (other) way, and he walked us to the road and that was it — that was the last time” they saw him.

Relatives waited on Saturday at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, along with aid tents, coffee stands, and even provisions to feed the pets evacuees were bringing with them, according to ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Civilians from Oleshky, on the Dnipro River, began the long journey out of the war-ravaged region in bus convoys on Friday, as reported by ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Starving residents of Oleshky in southern Ukraine began evacuating as part of a joint relief operation by the opposing sides, according to ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Russia's Ministry of Defense said those who chose to travel from Oleshky to Ukrainian-held territory were taken to the Russian city of Anapa and flown to the Belarusian city of Homel, as reported by ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Four planes with the evacuees landed in Belarus and the passengers would be on Ukrainian territory “within hours,” said Ukrainian lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia, according to Hertsad.

The evacuation mission, brokered by a ceasefire, allowed for the road out of Oleshky to be demined, according to reports.

According to Kyiv's estimates, around 2,000 residents -- compared with 24,000 before the Russian invasion -- were still in Oleshky ahead of the humanitarian operation, as reported by AFP.

Pope Leo XIV personally appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging cooperation to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate civilians from Oleshky, a city in the Kherson region facing a severe humanitarian crisis, according to reports.

Background

What's confirmed

• The ceasefire in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, which the White House says was brokered with help from US first lady Melania Trump, began at 3am local time on Tuesday and is expected to continue through Sunday evening.
• Residents evacuated from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have reached Ukraine under the most significant truce since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
• "We thought at that time that it would be a month, two maximum, and we would return, but unfortunately, two years have already passed," she said.
• "We realised that, well, there was no (other) way, and he walked us to the road and that was it — that was the last time" they saw him, Pavlyn said.
• Relatives waited on Saturday at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, along with aid tents, coffee stands and even provisions to feed the pets the evacuees were bringing with them.
• Civilians from Oleshky, on the Dnipro River, began the long journey out of the war-ravaged region in bus convoys on Friday.
• Russia's Ministry of Defense said those who chose to travel from Oleshky to Ukrainian-held territory were taken to the Russian city of Anapa and flown to the Belarusian city of Homel.
• “We will be home soon,” said a video post from Lubinets at Homel airport.
• The measures are to safeguard those who chose to remain in Oleshky as well as to protect future humanitarian missions, the organisers said.
• “When the ​world pays ‌attention, people are rescued. ​Further steps toward de-escalation ⁠and real ⁠progress ​toward peace are also needed,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram on Saturday.
• “It was very difficult. There were a lot of drones; it was hard to move around the streets,” he said.
• Four planes carrying the Oleshky evacuees arrived in the southeastern Belarusian town of Gomel on Saturday, according to Ukrainian parliament member David Arakhamia.

What's still developing

• "We last saw him at the end of January 2024, when my sister, mum and I left, and he stayed behind," the 19-year-old said.
• "When there is the attention of the world, there is the salvation of people," Zelensky wrote.
• Russia’s ombudswoman and lead representative on the mission, Yana Lantratova, said buses also transported Oleshky residents who wanted to live in Russia.
• “Many people stayed behind and didn’t want to leave,” Yevhenovych said.

Sources

• ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporationlink
• AFPlink
• BBClink
• Birmingham-Nowlink
• Crookwell Gazettelink
• Egyptindependentlink
• Hertsadlink
• Irishtimeslink
• Kyivindependentlink
• Los Angeles Timeslink
• NewsCordlink
• Ozarablink
• PBSlink
• Turkiyetodaylink
• Warpbeatlink
• https://aapnews.aap.com.au/link
• APT — video link