Oleshky evacuees cross into Ukraine after 750-person rescue mission

Residents of Oleshky stepped off buses at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border on Saturday, ending a journey that took them through Russia and Belarus to reach Ukrainian-held territory. The group arrived after a temporary ceasefire in the Kherson region allowed for a large-scale evacuation. Family members and volunteers greeted the travelers with flags, coffee, and aid for their pets.

The truce in the southern region began early Tuesday and was scheduled to last through Sunday evening. The White House stated that First Lady Melania Trump assisted in negotiating the localized deal. Pope Leo XIV also urged both nations to permit aid deliveries and evacuations. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that more than 750 people were evacuated safely during the mission.

Ivan Yevhenovych, 48, described the final months of life in the occupied city as difficult. He noted that drone activity made moving through the streets risky and that staple food had become scarce since spring. "It was very difficult. There were a lot of drones. It was hard to move around the streets," Yevhenovych said. He added that landmines or drone strikes killed residents every day.

Tetiana Leonidivna, 71, expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian soldiers who assisted in the escape. "We love them, we love them," she said through tears. "We know that they are protecting us. And a deep bow to them, and a deep bow to their parents, for having such children. I am proud, I am simply proud." Liza Paliy, 19, waited at the border to reunite with her father, whom she had not seen in more than two and a half years.

Approximately 2,000 people remained in Oleshky when the truce took effect. These residents had the option to move to Ukrainian or Russian-held territory or stay in the city with new food and medical supplies. Yevhenovych said many chose to remain for their homes or animals. Ukrainian officials restricted details about the evacuation route to protect those who stayed and to ensure the safety of future humanitarian efforts.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, called the mission a win. He stated that the evacuees ranged in age from just over one year old to 94 years old. The group included dogs, cats, a parrot, and a raccoon. Lubinets said he hoped the agreement could serve as a model for other humanitarian crises. "This is an extremely important moment. Behind us are difficult negotiations, agreements, preparations, and an enormous amount of work," he wrote online.

Yana Lantratova, Russia’s human rights commissioner, said both sides agreed to conduct regular humanitarian missions in and around Oleshky. She noted that living conditions in the city remained difficult for those who decided to stay. "The mission has concluded, but, unfortunately, living conditions in Oleshky remain extremely difficult," Lantratova said. She added that officials would make every effort to support the remaining residents.

Some evacuees who chose to move to Russian-occupied territory were taken to a temporary shelter in Simferopol. The city is located on the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Lantratova emphasized that support should include more than just shelter and food. "After everything they have endured and a long journey, it is essential for these people to rest, recover, and feel cared for," she said in a social media post.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the U.S. approval of a 500 PAC-3 Patriot interceptor purchase on Saturday. The Trump administration announced on Friday that it authorized a proposed $2.1 billion sale. Canada, Germany, and Norway will donate the missiles through a U.S. program, meaning no American funds are involved. Zelenskyy urged partners to supply weapons from existing stocks because the new U.S. weapons could take years to arrive.

Zelenskyy reported that Russian forces launched drone attacks on energy and railway infrastructure across Ukraine overnight. The strikes left 280,000 households in the Dnipro and Kyiv regions without power. The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 433 Ukrainian drones overnight. A Ukrainian drone attack killed a 30-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man in Russia’s Bryansk region, with five others wounded.