Residents evacuated from occupied Oleshky arrive in Ukrainian-controlled territory
Civilians evacuated from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in Ukraine's Kherson region crossed the border into Ukraine's Chernihiv region on Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the arrival.
Residents evacuated from Oleshky, a city in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine's Kherson region, arrived in Ukrainian-controlled territory on Saturday, 31 October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media. The group was first taken to Anapa in Russia's Krasnodar region, then to Belarus, and finally crossed the border into Ukraine's Chernihiv region. The arrival matters because the civilians have at last reached territory controlled by Kyiv.
Zelensky said the Ukrainian citizens from Oleshky would receive all necessary assistance.
What is known about the evacuees
Information published by a Ukrainian official says the oldest evacuee is 94 and the youngest is just over a year old. One woman will celebrate her 49th birthday the following day. Among those evacuated is a family who lived in a shelled building: the father, because of his health, could not descend from the eighth floor by himself, the staircase had been destroyed, and the family was cut off from food and water. Another man reportedly survived 16 Russian drone attacks and four missile strikes on his home, with one blast landing a metre from his wall. Pets were also brought out, including dogs, cats, a parrot and a raccoon.
The Kyiv Independent reported that the journey to Ukrainian-controlled territory took 19 hours, and that many residents wept as they stepped off the buses onto Ukrainian soil for the first time in years.
Background
A ceasefire took effect in Oleshky on Tuesday to allow the evacuation of civilians. The truce is scheduled to last until 22:59 on 1 November.
Zelensky thanked the United States and First Lady Melania Trump for mediating, the Defence Forces for providing security during the operation, and ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and his team for carrying out the mission.
