Ukrainians evacuated from occupied Oleshky expected back in Ukraine within hours
The last of four aircraft used to evacuate Ukrainians from Russian-occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region has landed in Gomel, Belarus. The evacuees are expected to reach Ukraine with the Ukrainian delegation within a few hours.
David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction in Ukraine, said the fourth and final aircraft involved in evacuating Ukrainians from occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region has landed in Gomel, Belarus. According to him, all Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Oleshky will be on Ukrainian territory together with the Ukrainian delegation in just a few hours. The development matters because it indicates that a humanitarian operation carried out during a local ceasefire is nearing completion.
Background
Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights commissioner of Ukraine's parliament, announced that a ceasefire would take effect in the Oleshky area at 3:00 a.m. on 27 October. Russia's Ministry of Defence confirmed that a "regime of silence" had been introduced.
Earlier, the White House said that Melania Trump, wife of the US president, had brokered a truce between Russia and Ukraine in Oleshky, a city temporarily occupied by Russia. The source describes the city as currently suffering a humanitarian catastrophe. The ceasefire is set to last until 22:59 on 1 November.
On the evening of 30 October, Lubinets reported that the convoys carrying Oleshky residents had split up and were on the road. He said no violations were recorded during the humanitarian mission.
The source also refers to an analysis of how the local truce in Oleshky became a test for a wider agreement. It does not give details on how many people were evacuated.
