Evacuation begins in Russian-held Oleshky under local ceasefire
Starving residents of the Russian-held town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine began evacuating on Friday under a joint relief operation backed by a local ceasefire, the first of its kind in four years and eight months of war. Brokered by US first lady Melania Trump, the operation brought an aid convoy into the town on the Dnipro River opposite the city of Kherson, giving residents the option to leave.
Yana Lantratova, Russia’s human rights commissioner, stated that groups of people boarded evacuation buses, with some heading toward Russia and others toward Ukraine. Prime minister Sergiy Koretskyi told Ukraine’s parliament that evacuees traveling to Ukraine would move through Russia and Belarus before entering the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, according to Interfax Ukraine. Lantratova appeared alongside her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Lubinets, to deliver food, hygiene products, medical supplies, and fuel to the isolated town.
Ceasefire terms and demining operations
The local ceasefire took effect in Oleshky and the Kherson region early on Tuesday, creating a pause along an extensive stretch of the active front line. Ahead of the convoy’s arrival, demining operations on the access routes claimed two lives, including one soldier, according to Lantratova. Lubinets noted that 25 buses were on hand to evacuate people, with special provision for those who were bedridden, and 50 medical personnel.
Oleshky has remained under Russian military control since February 2022 and suffered severe flooding following the destruction of the upstream Kakhovka dam in 2023. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented zero food deliveries to the town since the end of May, leaving residents reliant on minimal rations of rice or buckwheat.
Wider military strikes and diplomatic talks
While the localized ceasefire held in Oleshky, military attacks continued across other regions. A Russian drone strike on a crowded railway platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed at least 14 people, according to regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the station attack as a horrific assault, while Russia said it had shot down 1,043 Ukrainian drones overnight.
US president Donald Trump is pressing Kyiv to accept terms that include full Russian control of the Donbas region and a bar on NATO membership, while Ukraine seeks guarantees regarding intelligence sharing and battlefield communications.
Frequently asked questions about the Oleshky evacuation
Where will residents go after leaving Oleshky?
Evacuees have the option to travel either toward Russia or toward Ukraine. Those choosing Ukraine will travel through Russia and Belarus before crossing into the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions.
Who brokered the ceasefire agreement?
The local ceasefire and humanitarian corridor were brokered by US first lady Melania Trump, with additional involvement from Pope Leo.
What supplies were brought into the town?
An incoming aid convoy delivered food, hygiene products, medical supplies, and fuel to address acute shortages that left remaining residents surviving on minimal rations.