Evacuations Begin from Russian-Occupied Oleshky, Hundreds Choose to Stay
An evacuation of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky has begun following a ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, though hundreds of residents have decided to remain in the town
The evacuation of civilians from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky is underway, confirmed by both Russian and Ukrainian authorities. A ceasefire, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, has been in effect across the Kherson region since Tuesday, allowing for the demining of the road leading out of Oleshky.
Evacuation convoys, consisting of 25 buses, were prepared to transport up to 750 people. However, despite widespread devastation and a lack of gas, electricity, and running water, several hundred residents have reportedly chosen to stay in Oleshky.
Highlights
- A ceasefire, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, has been in force in the Kherson region since Tuesday.
- A four-hour window was opened for residents wishing to leave Oleshky.
- While 25 buses were deployed to evacuate up to 750 people, hundreds have reportedly opted to remain in the town.
- Ukrainian and Russian human rights ombudsmen collaborated to ensure the safe evacuation of Oleshky residents.
- Evacuees will travel through Russian-controlled territory, then to the Russian city of Anapa, and via Belarus to Ukraine.
Details
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, worked closely to ensure the safe evacuation of Oleshky residents. Both ombudsmen visited Oleshky on Friday. Lantratova posted a video on social media stating that people were given the choice to form two groups based on whether they wished to go to Russian-controlled territory or to Ukraine.
In videos posted on his own social media account, Lubinets was seen meeting tearful locals. He was heard saying, "The problem is that a lot of people are staying," and assured that everything possible would be done to deliver humanitarian aid. Russia announced on Thursday that it had prepared "dozens of tonnes" of aid, including food, medicine, hygiene products, and fuel for generators, for residents who choose not to leave.
An Oleshky resident told the BBC she decided against leaving because "they wouldn't take my animals." Olena, now living in Kyiv, also mentioned that her grandmother and extended family in Oleshky were staying behind. She explained that the older generation did not want to leave, and she only managed to persuade her father because of her newborn baby. Olena also described how locals transport wounded and deceased people to the hospital and morgue in garden wheelbarrows.
Why it matters
This evacuation is part of a ceasefire that has provided the first few days of peace in the Kherson region since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The cooperation between Ukrainian and Russian authorities highlights the critical situation of civilians in conflict zones and the importance of humanitarian aid. However, the decision of many to remain in their homes despite the devastation reflects the profound humanitarian crisis and the difficult choices people face in the region.