Ukrainian evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky reunite with family
Starved and exhausted residents of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky have crossed into Ukraine in a major evacuation operation under the first humanitarian truce of its kind in more than four years of Moscow's war.
The six-day ceasefire covering Oleshky is the longest local pause in fighting since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukrainian officials met the evacuees with welcoming messages, while residents from nearby villages lined the highway waving flags and flashlights to greet them.
Desperate survival
Supply routes to Oleshky had been disrupted by fighting and drones, with food deliveries stopped in May according to some residents. One evacuee, an elderly man in a wheelchair, told Reuters he had lost 20kg (44lbs) over the past year, becoming so weak he required hospital treatment.
We chopped grass and squash… just to hold on.
Complex evacuation route
To reach Ukrainian-held territory, Oleshky residents had to take a complicated route: first crossing Crimea by bus to the Russian town of Anapa, then flying to Belarus before finally crossing into Ukraine. Ambulances lined the street, and several large military tents were erected where hot meals, tea and medical aid were provided.
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