Hundreds evacuated from occupied Oleshky in Kherson region during ceasefire
A evacuation of residents took place on Friday from Russian-occupied Oleshky in Ukraine's Kherson region, under a ceasefire in force since Tuesday. The truce is the longest and most widespread since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Residents of Russian-occupied Oleshky, in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, were evacuated on Friday under a ceasefire that has been in force across the entire Kherson frontline region since Tuesday. According to the source, it is the longest and most widespread ceasefire since Russia's invasion began in 2022. The truce allowed the road out of the town to be cleared of mines.
How the evacuation worked
People who wanted to leave had a four-hour window, until 14:00 local time. A convoy of 25 buses, able to carry up to 750 people, was brought in, along with ambulances for those with limited mobility. Several hundred people are understood to have chosen to stay, even though the town suffers widespread destruction and has no gas, electricity or running water.
Residents were able to form two groups, depending on whether they wished to be taken to Russian-controlled territory or to Ukraine. Ukrainian military positions are 5km from Oleshky, but evacuees heading to Ukraine must first travel through occupied territory to the southern Russian city of Anapa, then fly to Belarus and drive on into Ukraine.
Aid for those who stay
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said everyone wishing to leave would be able to do so safely, while those who stayed would receive humanitarian assistance. Russia said on Thursday it had prepared "dozens of tonnes" of aid for residents not wishing to leave, including food, medicine, hygiene products and fuel for generators. In a video, Lubinets said many people were staying and promised to do everything possible to get aid in.
Residents' accounts
An Oleshky native named Olena, who now lives in Kyiv, told the BBC her grandmother and wider family were staying behind. She said the older generation did not want to leave. Her grandmother's sister died last winter after losing her legs to a landmine, and was taken to hospital in a garden wheelbarrow, which Olena said is how locals transport the wounded and dead.
US First Lady Melania Trump said all elements of the convoy, including safe passage in and out of Oleshky, were agreed by Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Russia's representative Lantratova and her Ukrainian counterpart jointly asked her to coordinate such humanitarian missions regularly.
