Hundreds evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky during rare Ukraine ceasefire

Hundreds of residents of the devastated Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have been evacuated, Russian and Ukrainian authorities have said, following a humanitarian ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump. “Everything unfolded without any incidents, and both sides noted the high level of organisation,” Russia’s human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova said. Ukrainian authorities confirmed the evacuees were on their way to southern Russia, from where they will travel on to Ukraine through Belarus. Melania Trump said that “all elements of the convoy, including the safe passageway in and out of Oleshky, was established through mutual agreement between Russian and Ukrainian leaders”. Speaking to journalists on Friday evening, Lantratova put out a joint request with her Ukrainian counterpart “to the US First Lady…

that humanitarian missions such as this one, delivering aid to residents in need, be conducted on a regular basis under the coordination of Mrs Melania Trump”. A ceasefire – the longest and most widespread since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – has been in force in the entire frontline region of Kherson since Tuesday, allowing for the road out of Oleshky to be demined. Residents who wished to leave had a four-hour window to do so on Friday. A convoy of 25 buses was brought in to allow up to 750 people to leave the town until 14:00 (12:00 GMT), along with ambulances for people with limited mobility. Several hundred people are understood to have decided to stay, despite the widespread devastation and the lack of gas, electricity and running water. “Everyone who wishes to leave Oleshky will be given the opportunity to do so safely,” Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Friday morning. “At the same time, those who decide…