Hundreds of starving residents are evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky in Ukraine under a ceasefire brokered by Melania Trump
Residents of Oleshky meet a Ukrainian delegation, as evacuees face a gruelling onward route through Russian-occupied territory to Anapa, then by plane to Gomel in Belarus, before crossing into Ukraine's Chernihiv region.Civilians gathered in Oleshky, the Russian-occupied city where up to 6,000 people — including 200 children — survived for weeks on garden weeds and pigeons before Friday's evacuation convoy arrived.
Russian and Ukrainian human rights commissioners travelled together to Oleshky — the first time a Ukrainian official has entered Russian-occupied territory since the war began — as 25 buses and ambulances carried hundreds of civilians out of the city. The convoy will travel over 1,000 miles through Russia and Belarus before returning to Ukraine, after roads were de-mined during the six-day Kherson ceasefire. Russia and Ukraine both praised the operation's 'high level of organisation'.
Residents had survived for months without gas, electricity or running water, with some resorting to eating grass and garden weeds.
Ukrainian soldiers have warned the ceasefire is 'cover for a Russian offensive', with drone footage showing mass military preparations they expect to be unleashed when the truce expires on 1 November.
Both commissioners jointly asked Melania Trump to lead further regular humanitarian missions after the evacuation concluded without incident.
