Oleshky residents reach Ukraine after months of isolation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on X that citizens from Oleshky have crossed into the Chernihiv region. He thanked the United States and First Lady Melania Trump for mediating the transfer. Zelenskyy also stated that further steps toward de-escalation are needed.

The movement of people resulted from a six-day ceasefire covering the town. Russian and Ukrainian officials say the pause in fighting has held since Tuesday. This arrangement was the longest local break in combat since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. The truce is scheduled to end on Sunday evening.

Before this evacuation, supply routes to Oleshky were disrupted by fighting and drones. Food deliveries stopped in May, which pushed many residents into starvation. The town sits just a few kilometres from the front line. Its pre-war population was about 24,000, but that number fell to an estimated 1,700 prior to the departure.

The route to Ukrainian-held territory was complex. Residents first took buses across Crimea to the Russian town of Anapa. They then flew to Belarus before crossing the border into Ukraine. At the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, evacuees wrapped in blue and yellow flags stepped off buses to meet family members. Officials greeted them with posters that read "You're not alone" and "We embrace with our hearts".

Svitlana Yermakova told Reuters that the group had to eat grass to survive. "We chopped grass and squash.. just to hold on," she said. She added that she risked riding a bicycle through minefields to reach a nearby village for food for herself and her dog. An elderly man in a wheelchair told Reuters he lost 20kg over the past year and required hospital treatment due to weakness.

Upon arrival, ambulances lined the street near large military tents. These tents provided hot meals, tea, and medical aid. Residents from nearby villages lined the highway, waving flags and flashlights to greet the returning civilians. Ukrainian officials have not disclosed the exact number of people evacuated or the number who remained.

Some residents chose to stay in Oleshky despite a lack of gas, electricity, and running water. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova said living conditions there remained difficult. She pledged to continue working with Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Lubinets to assist those who stayed. "The mission has come to an end," Lantratova said on Telegram. "We have agreed to carry out regular humanitarian missions, which is a very important step."