Hundreds of residents have evacuated the Russian-occupied front-line city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, crossing into northern Ukraine via Belarus on Saturday. Families and their pets arrived on buses to a military facility in Chernihiv, where many experienced emotional reunions with loved ones they had not seen for years.
Surviving Years of Conflict
Oleshky was seized by Russia during the first few days of its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and remained trapped between the Dnipro River and Russian forces. Residents Olha and Viacheslav described life in the city simply as horror, explaining that escaping earlier was deemed too dangerous because routes were heavily mined and targeted by drones.
As supplies dwindled, Olha told BBC News that residents walked through minefields earlier this month just to find food, noting that people were stepping on mines and being killed or maimed merely to survive. Those too afraid to venture outside resorted to cooking garden weeds to stay alive.
The Evacuation Process
An opportunity to flee arrived when a humanitarian ceasefire, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, took effect in the Kherson region. The truce provided a rare period of peace and allowed residents to evacuate.
Estimates suggest up to 6,000 people remained in Oleshky and surrounding areas, with 1,700 inside the city itself. Residents were given a four-hour window on Friday to leave using a convoy of 25 buses capable of carrying up to 750 evacuees, alongside ambulances for individuals with limited mobility.
Evacuees traveled through Russian-occupied territory to southern Russia before flying to Belarus and finally arriving at the Chernihiv facility on Saturday. Upon arrival, some elderly residents were so weak they had to be carried on stretchers.
Reunions and Relocation
The arrivals brought emotional reunions, including Mykhailo Palii being met by his daughters Dasha and Anya who ran across the tarmac in tears. Palii recounted experiencing missile strikes and drone attacks, mentioning that a hole had been blown into his bathroom.
Another couple, Tetiana and Volodymyr, arrived carrying a cat after living in an abandoned neighbor’s house for three years following the destruction of their own home. Tetiana stated they had no regrets about leaving behind a city where no relatives remained.
While safe, evacuees expressed concern for those still under occupation and now face the challenge of rebuilding their lives. Palii stated he is ready to take on any job to support his family, while Olha noted her family will stay with acquaintances in Ukraine while getting back on their feet, expressing hope that anyone who survived hell can survive anywhere.
