Hundreds of starving residents who survived by eating grass are evacuated from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky under Melania Trump's ceasefire
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.
A convoy of 25 buses and ambulances carried hundreds of civilians out of Oleshky on Friday, completing the first joint Russian-Ukrainian evacuation operation in nearly five years of war. Evacuees face a circuitous route through southern Russia and Belarus before crossing back into Ukrainian-held territory through the Chernihiv region, with arrivals expected on Saturday. Both the Russian and Ukrainian human rights ombudsmen travelled to the city together and praised the operation's organisation.
Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets became the first Ukrainian official to enter Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory since the war began, and will also be the first to set foot in Russia when he escorts evacuees home.
Ukrainian soldiers warn the ceasefire is being used as 'cover for a Russian offensive', with drone footage reportedly showing mass military preparations for a major assault on Kherson once the truce expires on 1 November.
Russia's human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova jointly requested that Melania Trump coordinate further humanitarian missions on a 'regular basis'.
