Residents of the devastated Ukrainian town are boarding buses bound for both Russia and Kiev-controlled territory as a temporary truce opens a rare humanitarian corridor after months of hardship.
The evacuation of residents from the Russian-controlled Ukrainian town of Oleshky began on Friday, with people gradually boarding buses to leave for both Russia and Kiev-controlled parts of Ukraine under a US-brokered ceasefire.
Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, said residents wishing to travel in either direction were gathering at the evacuation point and would be given the opportunity to leave.
“People who wish to travel to the Russian Federation are gathering here. There are also people here who wish to travel to Ukraine. Everyone will be given the opportunity to do so,” she said in a Telegram post.
Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia also confirmed that the operation was underway, saying evacuation and humanitarian aid distribution had begun.
Officials from both Moscow and Kyiv travelled to Oleshky to oversee the operation. Lantratova shared footage of residents waiting to board buses, while Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, posted videos showing emotional exchanges with residents, some of whom were seen crying and thanking him.
Months of shortages drive residents to seek safety
Oleshky, captured by Russian forces in 2022, has suffered extensive damage during the war. Residents have endured months of shortages of food, water and medicine, with some reportedly forced to hunt and eat pigeons, former residents told AFP.
The town's population has fallen from around 24,000 before the war to approximately 2,000, according to the supplied report.
Residents have been seen waiting outside their homes with bags of belongings, ready to leave. Officials from both countries have said some people will choose to remain in the town even if fighting resumes.
Ceasefire offers rare pause as attacks continue elsewhere
The temporary ceasefire, announced last week by US First Lady Melania Trump, is due to expire on Sunday evening. Now in its fourth day, it represents the longest pause in fighting along any part of the front line since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Previous limited ceasefires, including arrangements around Orthodox Easter, were accompanied by accusations of violations.
Despite the relative calm around Oleshky, attacks have continued elsewhere in Ukraine. Russian strikes overnight left around 200,000 households without electricity in the city of Dnipro.
A drone strike on a railway station there a day earlier killed at least 14 people, while an attack on the northern city of Chernihiv killed two teenage girls.
TRT World and Agencies — TRT World and Agencies
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