Hundreds of civilians from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky arrived in Belarus and Ukraine following a rare, localized ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow on Friday and Saturday. The departure from the war-ravaged town offered relief to residents who had previously faced severe deprivation, with reporting indicating that locals had resorted to eating weeds due to conditions under Russian control.
How did the evacuation take place?
The evacuation operation was enabled by a localized truce negotiated by US First Lady Melania Trump, according to multiple international news outlets. This rare cessation of hostilities allowed hundreds of residents to leave the devastated city on Friday. Following their departure from Oleshky, four aircraft carrying the evacuees landed in Gomel, Belarus, on Saturday before the travelers continued their journey onward to Ukraine.
Residents left the devastated city on Friday following a ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump.
Where are the evacuees currently heading?
The evacuees landed first in Belarus's city of Gomel aboard four transport planes before preparing for their subsequent transit into Ukrainian territory. While initial reports highlighted the arrival of hundreds of individuals in Belarus, the overarching trajectory for the evacuees remains focused on returning to Ukraine after passing through the Belarusian transit hub.
What were the conditions in Oleshky prior to the ceasefire?
Prior to the negotiated pause in fighting, Oleshky was described as a war-ravaged and Russian-controlled town facing extreme humanitarian distress. Reporting from the BBC noted the severity of the crisis inside the occupied city, stating that conditions became so dire that residents ate weeds to survive before the breakthrough ceasefire permitted their departure.
