Under heavy rain, hundreds of civilians who have been trapped for months in the Ukrainian frontline city of Oleshky gathered near the local hospital on Friday to begin their evacuation. The residents, facing starvation and constant bombardment, are leaving as part of a humanitarian effort enabled by a truce that commenced on Tuesday, intended to allow aid entry and civilian exit.
Dmytro Lubinets, a member of Ukraine’s Parliament and parliamentary commissioner for human rights, confirmed his arrival in the Russian-occupied city via Telegram. He stated that the Ukrainian delegation had reached Oleshky safely as part of a joint mission to deliver assistance and evacuate residents. In a subsequent video post, Lubinets reassured locals, outlined the route back to Ukraine, and informed them that they were permitted to bring their pets.
Both Russia and Ukraine have imposed restrictions on media reporting from the scene and have declined to release official figures regarding the number of evacuees. Although Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi initially announced in Parliament on Friday that 527 people were being evacuated, he swiftly retracted the statement. The situation remains sensitive; Russia’s ombudsman has claimed that few residents wish to leave, while Ukrainian officials have expressed concern that civilians may be living under Russian coercion.
Sources: The New York Times World.