Civilians evacuated from Russian-held Oleshky in rare truce
· Security · Ukraine · Russia
Residents of the besieged Russian-held town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine were evacuated on Friday as part of a joint relief operation by the two sides, the first of its kind in four years and eight months of war. Hundreds left on a convoy carrying food and medicine, with a senior Ukrainian official saying they headed for Russia's Anapa city and are expected to fly to Belarus before returning to Ukraine by bus. Ukrainian and Russian officials visited the town together. A US-brokered ceasefire due to end on Sunday evening allowed the operation; Russia and Ukraine also completed demining. Hundreds more people stayed despite the dangers.
Why it matters：The operation is the first humanitarian arrangement of its kind in the war, a test of whether limited local cooperation can ease civilian suffering.
Key points
- First joint relief operation of its kind in the war
- Convoy brought food and medicine; hundreds left, hundreds stayed
- A US-brokered ceasefire is due to end Sunday evening