Oleshky residents arrive in Belarus following evacuation

Planes Land in Belarus Following Evacuation From Oleshky

The evacuation marks the first time since 2022 that a ceasefire has been established across such an extensive stretch of the frontline and maintained for a significant duration, according to Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

Hundreds of starving and exhausted residents left Oleshky during a US-backed local ceasefire. The humanitarian pause is the longest of its kind in the war, which is nearing its fifth year. “The last, fourth plane landed in Gomel,” David Arakhamia, a top Ukrainian peace negotiator and close ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky, said. “In a few hours, all Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Oleshky together with a Ukrainian delegation will be on Ukrainian territory.” Belta subsequently reported that a convoy of buses carrying the residents had departed from the airport in Gomel, located in southeastern Belarus near the Ukrainian border.

Complicated Route From the Dnipro River to Belarus

The evacuees heading for Ukraine faced a complex journey to leave Oleshky because the active frontline runs just a few kilometres away. The city lies on the Russian-occupied side of the Dnipro River, directly opposite Kherson, and has suffered months of severe food and medical shortages following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June 2023.

Evacuees first traveled by bus via Crimea to the Russian town of Anapa before boarding flights to Belarus. From there, they planned to continue to Ukraine via a border crossing, according to Belta. Kyiv’s delegation reached the city on a Friday morning to coordinate the operation, with social media footage showing tearful residents embracing officials in heavy rain while waiting for transport. Journalists spoke with individuals before the evacuation.

Mediation Efforts and Ceasefire Implementation

The local ceasefire in Oleshky was reached through mediation efforts involving US First Lady Melania Trump and with the involvement of Pope Leo. The White House noted that Melania Trump helped broker the localized truce, while Russian ombudswoman Yana Lantratova served as a lead representative on the mission alongside Ukrainian officials.

The ceasefire has held without violations since Tuesday, enabling engineering teams to de-mine roads and deliver food, medicines, and other critical supplies into the town. Supply routes had been heavily disrupted by fighting and drones, with local residents reporting that food deliveries ceased entirely in May, pushing hundreds of people into starvation. Some residents described surviving on a single cup of rice or buckwheat a day, supplemented occasionally by cucumbers, tomatoes, or wild plants. We’ve been through so much here in these five years, one woman said in a report broadcast on Ukrainian TV.

Uncertainty Over Remaining Residents and Passenger Totals

While earlier reports suggested that more than 500 people intended to move to Ukrainian territory, it remained unclear exactly how many people traveled in the convoy. Officials and volunteers estimated that approximately 1,700 to 2,000 people remained in Oleshky out of a pre-war population of about 24,000.

Many of those remaining behind are elderly or ill, according to several residents interviewed by Reuters. Officials stated that residents were given clear options to travel to Russian-held territory, cross over to Ukrainian-controlled regions, or remain in the town with newly replenished provisions. Yana Lantratova confirmed that buses also transported Oleshky residents who chose to live in Russia, though exact figures for each destination were not immediately released by authorities. The problem is that a lot of people are staying, one woman told Dmytro Lubinets while he was on the ground to coordinate the operation with Yana Lantratova. I’ve been told that it’s their own choice, Lubinets replied. Another older woman, preparing to evacuate, said: If we had our health, maybe we’d stay there a bit longer, but that’s it.

More on this story: Evacuations Begin in Russian-Held Town of Oleshky · Kherson Ceasefire Brings Rare Relief to Trapped Residents