Residents of Russian-controlled Ukrainian town arrive in Belarus
Hundreds of residents left the town of Oleshky on Friday during a U.S.-backed local ceasefire, the first of its kind during the Russia-Ukraine war.
TL;DR
- Four planes carrying evacuated residents from Oleshky landed in Belarus.
- The evacuations occurred during a U.S.-backed local ceasefire, the longest humanitarian pause in the war.
- The ceasefire enabled de-mining of roads and delivery of food and medicine.
- Hundreds of residents left Oleshky due to starvation as supply routes were disrupted.
- Evacuees took a complex route via bus through Crimea to Anapa, Russia, then flew to Belarus before continuing to Ukraine.
- The pre-war population of Oleshky was about 24,000, with around 1,700 remaining.