Evacuation of Russian-occupied Oleshky in Ukraine begins under Melania Trump's truce as trapped residents survive on weeds and pigeons
Volodymyr Zelensky swiftly appealed to the United States to take stronger action in response to the attack.
A convoy of 25 buses loaded with humanitarian supplies set out on Friday, offering evacuation to residents as a localised ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump entered its third day around Oleshky. As many as 6,000 people, among them 200 children, remain trapped in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town, cut off from regular food, water and electricity. Assembled in Armyansk, the convoy was bound for the district hospital; civilians were permitted to leave only until 2pm local time, after which aid packages were to be distributed.
Ukrainian soldiers warn Russia is exploiting the truce to move in weapons, ammunition and drones in preparation for a renewed assault on Kherson from next week.
Ukraine has also halted attacks on Russian refineries following pressure from President Trump, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Even as the Oleshky truce held, a Russian drone strike on a Dnipro train station killed at least 14 people yesterday, with a further two teenage girls killed in Chernihiv.
