Hundreds leave Russian-occupied Oleshky in US-brokered truce

Hundreds of residents left the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine on Friday during a humanitarian ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said. A convoy of 25 buses was brought in for a four-hour evacuation window that closed at 14:00 local time (12:00 GMT), with ambulances provided for people with limited mobility.

How was the Oleshky evacuation organised?

Residents who wished to leave had until early afternoon on Friday to get out of the town, and the road out of Oleshky was demined during the truce. The ceasefire has been in force across the entire frontline region of Kherson since Tuesday — the longest and most widespread since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 — and is due to last until the end of Sunday 1 November.

Where are the evacuees going?

Ukrainian authorities confirmed the evacuees were travelling first into Russian-occupied territory and then on to the southern Russian city of Anapa. From there they will board a Russian government plane to Gomel in Belarus and then drive across the border into Ukraine’s Chernihiv region. Others are expected to choose to stay in Russian-occupied territory, and several hundred people are understood to have decided to remain despite the lack of gas, electricity and running water.

Who oversaw the evacuation?

Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and his Russian counterpart Yana Lantratova travelled to Oleshky together on Friday, setting off from Armiansk in the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula. Lubinets is the first Ukrainian official since the start of the war to visit Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, and is set to become the first to visit Russia when he escorts evacuees back into Ukraine on Saturday. Lantratova said: “Everything unfolded without any incidents, and both sides noted the high level of organisation.”

What did Melania Trump say about the truce?

The US first lady said “all elements of the convoy, including the safe passageway in and out of Oleshky, was established through mutual agreement between Russian and Ukrainian leaders”. Lantratova said she and Lubinets had jointly asked Melania Trump for humanitarian missions of this kind to be conducted regularly under her coordination. Lubinets said: “Everyone who wishes to leave Oleshky will be given the opportunity to do so safely,” adding that those who stay “will receive all the necessary humanitarian assistance”.

Why are some residents staying?

An Oleshky resident told the BBC she had decided against leaving because “they wouldn’t take my animals, so that’s it”. Olena, who now lives in Kyiv, said her grandmother and wider family in Oleshky were also staying, adding: “The older generation does not want to leave.” Russia said on Thursday it had prepared “dozens of tonnes” of aid for residents who do not wish to leave, including food, medicine, hygiene products and fuel for generators.

What happens when the ceasefire ends?

The Kremlin made clear on Friday that the Oleshky operation should not be read as a willingness to extend the truce to the rest of Ukraine. Residents of Kherson told the BBC they were “overjoyed” by the ceasefire but concerned the pause had given Russia time to build up its military presence on the banks of the Dnipro river, which could allow a renewed assault once it expires. The truce comes as Washington continues to arm Kyiv, including through the US-approved $2.1bn sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Many Ukrainians suspect Russia’s real intention is to earn credit with the White House and to give US President Donald Trump a boost ahead of next week’s midterm elections.

Frequently asked questions

How many people were evacuated from Oleshky?

Russian and Ukrainian authorities said hundreds of residents left. A convoy of 25 buses was brought in to allow up to 750 people to leave during a four-hour window on Friday.

How long does the Kherson ceasefire last?

The ceasefire has been in force across the entire frontline region of Kherson since Tuesday and is due to remain until the end of Sunday 1 November.

Where were the Oleshky evacuees taken?

They travelled into Russian-occupied territory and then to the southern Russian city of Anapa, from where a Russian government plane takes them to Gomel in Belarus before they cross into Ukraine’s Chernihiv region.

Who is Dmytro Lubinets?

Dmytro Lubinets is Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman and the first Ukrainian official since the start of the war to visit Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)