Evacuated Ukrainians From Oleshky Arrive in Belarus

People who were evacuated from the devastated and Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have successfully reached Belarus, according to statements from authorities. Officials anticipate these individuals will return to Ukrainian territory later on Saturday. The departure occurred on Friday during a localized ceasefire arrangement.

State media in Belarus along with a senior official in Ukraine confirmed that multiple aircraft carrying the residents landed safely in the city of Gomel during the morning hours. David Arakhamia, a prominent Ukrainian official, noted that the final aircraft touched down in Gomel, bringing the evacuation phase close to completion.

Following their arrival by air, a convoy of buses carrying the Oleshky population departed from the airport in Gomel and moved toward the Ukrainian border, as reported by the state-owned Belarusian news agency Belta.

The regional humanitarian ceasefire began across the frontline area of Kherson on Tuesday. This temporary halt in hostilities provided the first days of calm in the zone following the onset of the conflict in 2022. The agreement facilitated the demining of the primary roadway leading out of Oleshky and is scheduled to remain active until the conclusion of Sunday.

During a designated time window on Friday afternoon, a fleet of twenty-five buses together with medical transport vehicles departed from the municipality. While hundreds chose to leave, several residents opted to remain behind despite widespread destruction and interruptions to utility services.

Why it matters

This localized ceasefire and subsequent transit operation affect individuals trapped in frontline settlements by providing a rare opportunity for safe departure from active combat zones. The developments demonstrate that temporary humanitarian agreements can succeed in facilitating population movement even amid ongoing regional conflict.