Hundreds evacuate Oleshky after US-brokered ceasefire opens exit

Hundreds of residents left the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky on Saturday, crossing into Ukraine through Belarus after a four-hour humanitarian corridor opened on Friday. The evacuation was the first large-scale exit from the frontline town since February 2022. The group traveled by bus, plane, and ambulance to a military facility in the Chernihiv region.

The exodus followed a ceasefire in the Kherson region brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump. The agreement provided a brief window of peace that allowed a convoy of 25 buses to transport up to 750 people. Estimates suggested that as many as 6,000 residents remained in Oleshky and surrounding areas, with 1,700 living inside the city limits.

Survivors described years of dwindling supplies and intense combat. Olha, a resident who left with her husband Viacheslav and two adult children, said the family crossed minefields earlier this month to find food. She noted that people were stepping on mines and suffering injuries just to survive. Those who stayed indoors often cooked garden weeds to eat.

Viacheslav described the period as a return from hell. The couple had remained in the city despite heavy shelling because escape routes were mined and exposed to drone attacks. They decided to leave when conditions stopped improving. Olha stated that they realized they had to get out once it became clear the situation was not getting better.

Mykhailo Palii reunited with his daughters Dasha and Anya on the tarmac in Chernihiv. He had hidden the extent of the damage from them to prevent worry. Palii explained that a hole was blown into their bathroom during missile strikes. He said he would look for work in construction or demolition to support his family.

Tetiana and Volodymyr arrived with their cat after their home burned down three years ago. They had been living in a neighbor's abandoned house. Tetiana said they had no regrets about leaving because their children were married and did not live in the city. She expressed concern for the many people still living under difficult conditions in Oleshky.

The evacuees now face the task of finding permanent housing. Olha said her family has no other relatives in Ukraine and will stay with acquaintances while they rebuild. She said if they survived the conditions in Oleshky, they can survive the adjustment here.