Oleshky Residents Reach Ukraine After Evacuation From War-Torn Russian-Occupied City

Residents evacuated from the heavily damaged and Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have successfully arrived in Ukraine after a complex evacuation operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed.

The evacuation brought relief to civilians who had been trapped in the frontline city under extremely difficult conditions, with severe shortages of food, clean water, electricity, and essential supplies. Reports indicated that some residents had resorted to cooking garden weeds in order to survive.

According to Ukrainian officials, the evacuation took place on Friday during a local ceasefire that allowed civilians to leave the conflict zone. The residents were transported through Russian-occupied territory before travelling into southern Russia.

From there, the evacuees were flown to **Gomel in Belarus, before continuing by road across the Ukrainian border.

In a statement posted on social media, President Zelensky confirmed that the evacuees had safely entered Ukraine through the Chernihiv region.

“As of now, Ukrainian citizens from Oleshky have crossed the Ukrainian border in the Chernihiv region,” Zelensky said.

“All of them will receive the assistance they need. It is important that government agencies and all the regional and local authorities involved work effectively and help our people adapt.”

The evacuation comes amid a rare humanitarian ceasefire in the **Kherson region, which took effect on Tuesday. The temporary halt in fighting has provided residents with the first sustained period of calm in the area since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Oleshky has been one of the communities most severely affected by the conflict, with ongoing military operations leaving many residents isolated from basic services and humanitarian aid.

The arrival of the evacuees in Ukraine is being viewed as an important humanitarian achievement, offering safety and support to civilians who endured months of hardship in one of the war’s most challenging frontline areas.

As the conflict continues, Ukrainian authorities and humanitarian organisations are expected to provide accommodation, medical care, and other assistance to those evacuated from the occupied territory.