Ukraine evacuates Oleshky residents via Russian and Belarusian transit

A convoy of 25 buses and ambulances entered the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky on Friday. The vehicles arrived to deliver supplies and transport residents to Ukrainian-held territory. This action marks the fourth day of a truce in the southern Kherson region.

Davyd Arakhamia, a lawmaker for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party, described the route. Evacuees will travel by bus to Anapa in southern Russia. From there, they will fly to Belarus and cross the border into northern Ukraine. Authorities estimate that about 2,000 people remain in the war-ravaged city.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, confirmed the operation in an online post. He stated that the humanitarian mission was underway. Budanov is not part of the delegation present in Oleshky. Officials from both nations coordinated the effort. The localized ceasefire is scheduled to continue through Sunday evening.

The United States played a central role in the mission. The White House said First Lady Melania Trump helped broker the ceasefire and coordinate the operation. Pope Leo XIV also urged both leaders to permit aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.

Russia and Ukraine issued identical statements regarding the process. They said everyone who wishes to leave will have the opportunity to do so safely. Those who choose to stay may remain and will receive all necessary humanitarian support.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman and chief negotiator, said the convoy assembled in Armiansk. This town is in Russian-occupied Crimea, about 85 kilometers south of Oleshky. Officials reported that demining of designated routes was completed late Thursday. Two people were killed during that work.

Video from Lubinets’ office showed him meeting older residents in Oleshky. One woman tearfully hugged him while others smiled. Ksenia Arkhipova, a volunteer who used to live in the city, said large numbers of Russian military personnel are present. She told the Associated Press that troops are checking empty houses and moving into some of them. She said they are also pressuring local residents to evacuate to Russia rather than to Ukraine.

Arkhipova said about 1,000 residents told her on Thursday that they wanted to leave. She noted that the Ukrainian delegation’s presence is important because many residents fear Russian authorities would interrogate or detain them. The evacuation route was not disclosed. Ukrainian public television reported that evacuees would travel hundreds of kilometers through Russia and Belarus before crossing Ukraine’s northern border. Fighting continued elsewhere in the region. Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses downed more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched ballistic and other missiles along with scores of drones. Authorities invited a small number of Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. media organizations to cover the operation.