Ukrainian evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky reunite with family

Starved and exhausted residents of Oleshky arrive in Ukraine after months of isolation, though some remain behind.

Starved and exhausted residents of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky have crossed into Ukraine during a major civilian evacuation operation, marking the first humanitarian truce in over four years of Moscow’s war.

The six-day ceasefire covering the town was brokered with mediation from US First Lady Melania Trump and assistance from Pope Leo XIV. It represents the longest local pause in fighting since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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“Ukrainian citizens from Oleshky have crossed the Ukrainian border in the Chernihiv region. All of them will receive the assistance they need,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X, thanking the United States and the First Lady for their mediation. “Further steps toward de-escalation and real progress toward peace are also needed,” he added.

Evacuees wrapped in blue and yellow Ukrainian flags stepped off buses at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border and reunited with family members.

Ukrainian officials met the evacuees with posters reading “You’re not alone” and “We embrace with our hearts,” while residents from nearby villages lined the highway waving flags and flashlights to greet them.

Forced to eat grass

Supply routes to Oleshky had been disrupted by fighting and drones. According to some residents, food deliveries were halted in May, pushing hundreds of people to starvation.

One evacuee, an elderly man in a wheelchair, told Reuters that he had lost 20kg (44lbs) over the past year, becoming so weak he required hospital treatment.

Another evacuee, Svitlana Yermakova, said they had to eat grass to survive.

“We chopped grass and squash… just to hold on,” she said, adding that she risked riding by bicycle through minefields to a nearby village to obtain food for herself and her dog.

To reach Ukrainian-held territory, Oleshky residents had to take a complicated route to leave the devastated town just a few kilometres from the front line.

They first crossed Crimea by bus to the Russian town of Anapa before flying to Belarus, from where they entered Ukraine.

Ambulances lined the street, and several large military tents were erected where hot meals, tea, and medical aid were provided.

Russian and Ukrainian officials state that the ceasefire in Oleshky has held since Tuesday, allowing them to de-mine roads and bring food, medicines, and other supplies back into the town again.

The truce is scheduled to end on Sunday evening.

Some stay behind

Some residents have decided to remain in Oleshky, despite ongoing shortages of gas, electricity, and running water.

Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova said living conditions in the occupied Oleshky remained difficult, pledging to continue working with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Lubinets, to support those who stayed.

“The mission has come to an end,” she noted on Telegram. “We have agreed to conduct regular humanitarian missions, which is a very important step.”

Oleshky had a pre-war population of approximately 24,000, which fell to an estimated 1,700 before the evacuation.

Ukrainian officials have not disclosed the exact numbers of evacuated or remaining residents.

Even as the Oleshky ceasefire continues, fighting persists in other front areas, with both sides conducting drone attacks.

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