Evacuation of Residents from Occupied Oleshky Continues Amid Ceasefire
Some residents of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky have been evacuated to areas controlled by Kyiv. This was reported by a Ukrainian MP. The ceasefire has now entered its fourth day.
“The Ukrainian delegation, along with the evacuated residents of Oleshky, has left for Anapa. From there, they will fly to Belarus and then travel home by bus,” said Ukrainian negotiator Davyd Arakhamia.
A convoy of 25 buses and several ambulances arrived in the war-torn city, delivering food and medicine while assisting residents who wished to leave.
“Currently, a humanitarian operation is ongoing in Oleshky,” wrote the head of the Ukrainian president's office, Kyrylo Budanov. He is not part of the Ukrainian delegation in the city.
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Ukrainian and Russian representatives worked together on this rare humanitarian mission, providing a brief moment of cooperation amid the ongoing war.
“We are concluding our humanitarian mission in Oleshky,” said Russia's human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, in a video on Telegram. The convoy with those heading to Russian territory is moving towards Russia.
According to local authorities and volunteers, about 2,000 people remain in Oleshky.
The local ceasefire in the southern part of Ukraine's Kherson region is expected to last until Sunday evening.
“Anyone who wishes to leave Oleshky will have the opportunity to do so safely,” stated identical announcements from both Russia and Ukraine. “Those who choose to stay may do so and will receive all necessary humanitarian support.”
Although the territory controlled by Ukraine is only a few kilometers across the Dnipro River from Oleshky, evacuees will have to travel hundreds of kilometers through Russia and Belarus before reaching northern Ukraine. The exact evacuation route has not been disclosed.
Despite the local ceasefire, fighting continued in other areas on Friday. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting over 1,000 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Ukraine reported Russian strikes using ballistic and other missiles, as well as drones.
