occupied Oleshky arrive in Belarus

Key Points:

• Residents evacuated from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, suffering severe shortages of food, water, and electricity, have arrived in Belarus and are expected to return to Ukraine later on Saturday after a ceasefire.
• The evacuation was facilitated by a humanitarian ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, allowing safe passage for residents through mined and dangerous routes, with evacuees flown to Gomel, Belarus, before heading back to Ukraine.
• Despite the evacuation, several hundred residents chose to remain in Oleshky, where conditions remain dire due to widespread devastation and lack of basic utilities; Ukrainian authorities have pledged to provide humanitarian aid to those staying.
• Ukrainian and Russian human rights officials jointly visited Oleshky during the ceasefire to coordinate evacuation efforts, marking the first Ukrainian official visit to Russian-occupied territory since the war began, though the cooperation has sparked controversy in Ukraine.
• The ceasefire, effective until November 1, enabled the clearing of mined routes and safe evacuation, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in frontline regions like Kherson amid the broader conflict.