Oleshky residents reach Ukraine under temporary US-brokered ceasefire
Civilians from Russian-occupied Oleshky crossed into Ukraine after transiting Russia and Belarus during a temporary US-brokered ceasefire.
The story in focus
Residents of Russian-occupied Oleshky crossed into Ukrainian-held territory on Saturday, traveling by bus and plane through Russia and Belarus under a temporary US-brokered ceasefire. Ukrainian authorities restricted details on evacuee numbers and the border crossing to protect those remaining and future missions.
- Residents traveled by bus and plane through Russia and Belarus before reaching Ukraine.
- The ceasefire began Tuesday and is expected to continue through Sunday evening.
- About 2,000 remaining residents were offered evacuation to Ukrainian or Russian-held territory or to stay.
- Ukraine restricted disclosure of evacuee numbers and the crossing location to protect those remaining.
- Fighting continued elsewhere during the localized ceasefire.
A route through Russia and Belarus
Civilians evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky crossed into Ukrainian-held territory on Saturday, traveling by bus and plane through Russia and Belarus. The arrangement followed a temporary ceasefire brokered by US first lady Melania Trump, according to CBS News.
Oleshky, in Ukraine's southeastern Kherson region, has been occupied since the first days of the war. Ukrainian officials restricted disclosure of the number of evacuees and the border crossing location to safeguard residents who stayed and future humanitarian missions.
Conditions and choices
An estimated 2,000 residents remained in the city. They were offered the choice of traveling to Ukrainian- or Russian-held territory or staying with replenished food and medical supplies.
Relatives waited at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, where volunteers from the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and World Central Kitchen were present. Russia and Ukraine have not specified how many people left; the US first lady said the convoy could safely evacuate more than 750 people.
Ceasefire limits
The ceasefire began at 3 a.m. Tuesday and is expected to continue through Sunday evening. Fighting continued elsewhere: a Ukrainian drone attack killed two people in Russia's Bryansk region, and President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian drone attacks left 280,000 households without power in the Dnipro and Kyiv regions.
How long is the Oleshky ceasefire expected to last?
The ceasefire began at 3 a.m. Tuesday and is expected to continue through Sunday evening, according to CBS News. It is a localized arrangement covering the Kherson region.
Sources & further reading
- Residents evacuated from Russia-occupied city back in Ukraine ↗CBS News
- Ukrainian evacuees reunite with family after years trapped in Russia-occupied city ↗BBC News
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