A humanitarian ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of residents, according to statements from Russian and Ukrainian authorities. The operation, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, proceeded without incident on Friday and Saturday, with four planes transporting evacuees to Gomel, Belarus. The evacuees were expected to board buses to return to Ukraine’s Chernihiv region later on Saturday. Trump stated that all aspects of the operation, including safe passage in and out of Oleshky, were established through mutual agreement between Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
The evacuation was facilitated by the longest ceasefire since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, which took effect across the Kherson frontline region on Tuesday. The truce allowed for the demining of roads leading out of Oleshky. Residents were given a four-hour window on Friday to evacuate, with 25 buses and ambulances provided to accommodate up to 750 people. Several hundred residents chose to remain despite significant infrastructure damage and the absence of gas, electricity, and running water.
Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and his Russian counterpart Yana Lantratova coordinated the operation together, traveling to Oleshky from Russian-occupied Crimea. Lubinets became the first Ukrainian official to visit Russian-occupied territory since the war began. Both officials indicated that evacuees were given the choice to travel either to Russian-controlled areas or back to Ukraine. Russia stated it had prepared substantial humanitarian aid for those remaining, including food, medicine, hygiene products, and generator fuel.
The ceasefire is scheduled to remain in effect through the end of Sunday, 1 November. While some Kherson residents expressed relief at the temporary peace, concerns emerged that Russia may use the pause to strengthen military positions along the Dnipro river. The Kremlin indicated that the Oleshky ceasefire should not be viewed as a precursor to broader truces elsewhere in Ukraine. Some Ukrainian observers expressed skepticism about Russia’s motivations, suggesting the operation may be intended to generate favorable coverage with the White House ahead of upcoming midterm elections.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI