Evacuated residents of the Russian-controlled Ukrainian town of Oleshki have arrived in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. They were taken out of the town as part of a local humanitarian truce.
In a post on “Telegram“ Zelensky thanked the US and First Lady Melania Trump for their mediation efforts. “When the world pays attention, people are saved. More steps are needed for de-escalation and real progress towards peace,” the Ukrainian president wrote.
The journey took place through Crimea and Belarus
Thousands of residents of Oleshki left the town after the ceasefire, which was supported by the US and came about with the intervention of Pope Leo XIV. After leaving the town, they traveled by bus to Anapa on the Crimean peninsula, and from there they were flown by plane to the Belarusian city of Gomel. From Gomel, the group continued towards Ukraine.
The exact number of people who decided to leave Oleshki has not been announced, nor how many of them chose Ukraine and how many preferred to go to Russia. Evacuees were also allowed to stay in the town.
Ceasefire allows food and medicine deliveries
A local ceasefire began on Tuesday. Officials from Ukraine and Russia said it had not been violated. It allowed authorities to clear roads and deliver food, medicine and other essential supplies to the town.
Supply routes to Oleshki had been cut off by military action and drone attacks. Residents said food supplies had been cut off since May, leaving hundreds of people starving. Reuters described the evacuees as exhausted and starving.
Before the war, Oleshki had a population of about 24,000. According to Ukrainian authorities, approximately 1,700 people remain in the city, many of whom are elderly or sick.
The arrival of civilians in Ukraine is the first confirmed result of the agreed local ceasefire. It has allowed for the simultaneous delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of residents from a city whose roads have been cut off by fighting and the danger of mines.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com, afp.com