Residents of the Kherson region are preparing for the end of a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which has allowed the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of food, water and medicine to the frontline town of Oleshki. The ceasefire was agreed for Oleshki and the surrounding areas and represents the largest such pause between Kiev and Moscow since the start of a full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.
The White House said Melania Trump helped negotiate the limited ceasefire. It took effect early Tuesday and was scheduled to end Sunday evening. The period of no fighting allowed for a rare joint evacuation operation, which ended on Saturday.
About 2,000 civilians were in Oleshki
It is estimated that about 2,000 civilians were in Oleshki when the ceasefire began. Residents were given the choice of evacuating to Ukrainian- or Russian-controlled territory or remaining in the town. The rest were provided with additional food and medical supplies.
The exact number of evacuees and those remaining in Oleshki was not disclosed for security reasons. On Saturday, relatives of the evacuees were waiting for them at the Ukrainian border, and residents of neighboring villages gathered along the road with flags and flashlights to welcome the humanitarian convoy.
“The ceasefire in Oleshki and surrounding areas of Kherson region has given residents freedom of movement, access to food, clean water and medicine, and the opportunity to regain their sense of dignity, without the constant threat of attack,“ Melania Trump said.In parallel with the ceasefire, Moscow and Kiev have continued airstrikes in other parts of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia was attacking energy infrastructure before winter and that hundreds of thousands of families were left without electricity. According to him, Russian forces are taking advantage of the lack of air defense equipment.
Theatre in Kherson continues to work
In Kherson itself, residents have remained calm, despite expectations that the lull will end. The Kherson Regional Academic Music and Drama Theatre “Mykola Kulish“ continues to perform in an underground room and has equipped an additional bomb shelter.
About 100 of the theatre's 120 employees continue to work in the city. Director Oleksandr Kniga said the troupe intended to continue performances next week, despite warnings from local authorities about additional Russian weapons and personnel in the area.
“Whatever happens, the performance will not be canceled,” Kniga said.He is from Oleshki, which is on the Russian-occupied left bank of the Dnieper River. Before the war, Kniga used to commute from there to his workplace in Kherson, and now says the hope of one day returning home is among the reasons he remains in the city.
Alla Vasilenko, a theater employee, also has no intention of leaving. She cares for ten dogs and said the evacuation would require a place to live and significant funds. According to her, the trip alone would cost between 30,000 and 50,000 hryvnias.
On the last day of the ceasefire, the theater presented a concert with songs from different parts of Ukraine - from Crimea to the Carpathians. “This is also our job - to unite people and give them hope“, said Kniga.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com