Oleshky residents begin evacuation

Residents of the occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky began leaving the area on Friday.

A convoy of 25 buses and several ambulances entered the city to provide supplies and transport civilians. Davyd Arakhamia, a lawmaker for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s party, stated that the group is moving toward Ukrainian-controlled land. The planned route takes them by bus to Anapa in southern Russia. From there, they will fly to Belarus and cross into northern Ukraine.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the presidential office, confirmed the operation in a digital post. He noted that the humanitarian effort is active in Oleshky. About 2,000 people remain in the town, according to local authorities and volunteer groups. The localized ceasefire in the Kherson region is set to hold until Sunday evening.

This joint effort marks the first major truce since the full-scale invasion began 4.5 years ago. The United States played a central role in coordinating the mission. The White House indicated that First Lady Melania Trump helped broker the agreement. Pope Leo XIV also urged both leaders to permit aid and evacuations. Russia and Ukraine released identical statements saying anyone who wishes to leave can do so safely. They added that those who stay will receive necessary support.

Fighting continued in other parts of the country. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed air defenses shot down more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched ballistic missiles and scores of drones in return.

The humanitarian convoy assembled in Armiansk, a town in Russian-occupied Crimea. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman, described the location as roughly 85 kilometers south of Oleshky. Officials finished clearing mines from the designated routes late Thursday. Two people lost their lives during that work.

Video from Lubinets’ office showed him interacting with older residents in Oleshky. One woman hugged him while others smiled. Ksenia Arkhipova, a volunteer and former resident, said large numbers of Russian military personnel are in the city. She noted that troops are checking empty houses and moving into some of them.

Arkhipova told the Associated Press that Russian forces are pressuring locals to evacuate to Russia instead of Ukraine. She said about 1,000 residents told her they wanted to leave. The presence of the Ukrainian delegation is important to many who fear interrogation or detention by Russian authorities.

The specific evacuation route was not disclosed. Ukrainian-held territory lies just a few kilometers across the Dnipro River from Oleshky. However, public television reported that evacuees will travel hundreds of kilometers through Russia and Belarus to reach Ukraine’s northern border.

Authorities invited a small number of Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. media organizations to cover the operation. The ceasefire is expected to continue through the weekend. The next phase of the humanitarian mission depends on the movement of the remaining buses and the stability of the local truce.