Residents facing starvation and reduced to "skin and bones" in the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky began returning to Ukrainian territory on Saturday, October 31, under a six-day humanitarian ceasefire. This marks a rare local pause in fighting, allowing the first large-scale civilian evacuation in more than four years of war, according to a report by Reuters on October 31.
The localized ceasefire in Oleshky was achieved following coordination efforts led by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, with the involvement of the Pope. The six-day suspension of combat is considered the longest local pause in fighting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainians evacuated from Oleshky have crossed the border into Ukraine's Chernihiv region. He confirmed that all of them will receive necessary assistance and expressed his gratitude to the United States and Melania Trump for facilitating the process.
Upon arrival, Ukrainian officials welcomed the evacuees holding banners that read, "You Are Not Alone" and "We Are By Your Side with Love from the Heart."
The harsh conditions residents endured in the city were highlighted through the accounts of those evacuated. An elderly man in a wheelchair told Reuters that he had lost 20 kilograms over the past year due to a lack of food, leaving his body so weakened that he required hospital treatment.
Another resident, Svitlana Yermakova, recounted that some people were forced to eat grass to survive amid extreme food shortages.
"We chopped up grass and pumpkins to cope with the dire situation," she said, adding that she used to risk riding a bicycle through minefields to nearby villages to search for food for herself and her dog, Manila.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported emotional scenes as evacuees from Oleshky crossed from Belarus into Ukraine's Chernihiv region. Many families wept as they reunited with relatives they had not seen in years; notably, two sisters ran to embrace their father, crying with tears of joy.
To leave Oleshky—located just a few kilometers from the frontline—and reach Ukrainian-controlled territory, residents had to take a complex route. First, they traveled by bus across the Crimean Peninsula to the Russian city of Anapa, then flew to Belarus before continuing their journey into Ukraine.
It is worth noting that Oleshky was captured by Russian forces within the first few days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The city has remained isolated, bordered by the Dnipro River on one side and Russian forces on the other, making it extremely difficult for residents to escape.
