Oleshky evacuees reach Ukraine after local ceasefire

• Evacuees arrived in Ukrainian-held Chernihiv region on Saturday after a humanitarian mission to Oleshky.¹
• The convoy brought food and medicine as well as buses and ambulances for the evacuation.²³
• RBC-Ukraine reported that more than 750 residents were evacuated; the final number has not been confirmed.⁴¹⁵

Residents evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky reached Ukrainian-held territory on Saturday after a local ceasefire enabled a humanitarian mission to bring in supplies and move civilians out of the town, where residents had faced severe shortages.¹²

The journey to Ukraine took evacuees by bus through Russia to Anapa, then by plane to Gomel in Belarus before they crossed into Chernihiv region. Relatives and volunteers welcomed them on arrival, where food and medical assistance were available. Some people travelled in wheelchairs or on stretchers, and evacuees brought pets with them.⁵¹

RBC-Ukraine reported that more than 750 residents were evacuated. The Associated Press and Reuters said officials had not released a final tally, so the total remains unconfirmed. Residents could choose to go to Ukrainian- or Russian-held territory, or stay in Oleshky; Reuters reported that some chose Russia and others remained.⁴¹⁵

The ceasefire began at 03:00 Kyiv time on 27 October. Ukrainian and Russian officials said it had held without violations as of Saturday, and it was scheduled to end at 22:59 Kyiv time on Sunday, 1 November. Aid deliveries and evacuation preparations began during the pause; Ukraine’s ombudsman said people who stayed would receive humanitarian support.⁵²³

Residents told Reuters that fighting and drone activity had disrupted supply routes. One evacuee said she and others had chopped grass and squash to get by.⁵

Footnotes

1. https://apnews.com/article/5cbc7d2a5b8ac34b15c914338fd5a9f3 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. https://hromadske.ua/en/amp/war/273503-humanitarian-aid-reaches-russian-occupied-oleshky-as-residents-begin-evacuation-ukrainian-ombudsman-says ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. https://www.ombudsman.gov.ua/index.php/uk/news_details/gumanitarna-misiya-v-oleshkah-dopomoga-maye-dijti-do-kozhnoyi-ludini ↩ ↩²

4. https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/oleshky-evacuated-residents-finally-reach-1793458926.html ↩ ↩²

5. https://www.investing.com/news/world-news/starved-residents-of-russianoccupied-oleshky-return-to-ukraine-during-a-rare-local-ceasefire-4989296 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵