(CNN) - Hundreds of people were evacuated from an occupied town in southern Ukraine, on Friday, after living for months without basic supplies, under a ceasefire agreement negotiated by the US First Lady, Melania Trump.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on Saturday that the evacuees had arrived at the border with Belarus, and were expected to continue their journey from there via buses.
The town of Oleshki, located in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, has been under continuous Russian occupation since April 2022. According to the Ukrainian authorities, about 2,000 people - including 50 children - remained trapped in this town, which was subjected to widespread destruction.
All access roads were either heavily mined or filled with drones, making escape impossible, until the intervention of Melania Trump made evacuations possible.
“The Ukrainian delegation has set off, accompanied by the evacuated residents of Oleshki,” David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, wrote on Telegram.
What's happening in Oleshki?
Teams of humanitarian workers and officials from both Russia and Ukraine attended Oleshki on Friday; To accompany those wishing to leave, and to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance to those who chose to stay.
The temporary truce, which allowed for evacuations, took effect on Tuesday, and has since expanded to include the entire Kherson region. This truce also brought some relief to the city of Kherson, the capital of the Ukrainian-controlled region, which had been subjected to almost constant attacks by Russian drones.
The Human Rights Commissioner of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, went to Oleshki to personally escort the evacuees to the territory under Ukrainian control; Thus, he became the first high-ranking Ukrainian official to publicly visit areas under Russian occupation and control since the outbreak of the war.
The evacuation process began on Friday afternoon, local time. According to Lobinets, 25 buses participated in the operation, with a total capacity of 750 seats.
Are there safe evacuation routes?
The access paths to Oleshki have been heavily mined and littered with drone and vehicle debris, making them completely unusable. Mine clearance operations began on Tuesday, after the ceasefire entered into force, and both Russia and Ukraine announced the completion of these operations on Thursday. According to the authorities, two people who participated in these clearance operations were killed.
Given the impossibility of evacuation across the Dnipro River directly towards Ukrainian-controlled territory, Arakhamiya explained that the group would take a route that passes through the Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula (under occupation) to reach the city of Anapa in the Russian Krasnodar Territory.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated, on Saturday, that the people evacuated from Oleshki left through Anapa Airport and arrived in the city of Gomel in Belarus.
“From there, they will fly to Belarus, and then continue their journey home by bus,” Arakhamiya said shortly before their arrival. The evacuees are expected to arrive at the Ukrainian border later, Saturday.
What is life like in Oleshki?
The humanitarian situation has deteriorated in recent months; Ukrainian authorities reported in September that the city had run out of food and other supplies, with electricity, gas, medicines and other basic necessities completely cut off.
A woman from Oleshki - who preferred to remain anonymous - said in a statement to Ukrainian television: “We have reached the stage of complete exhaustion. The situation is very difficult; we live in constant darkness. If we had been healthy, we might have stayed longer, but we can no longer bear it. We want to be next to our children.”
Earlier this month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sepha said: “Residents in the city of Oleshki, which is under temporary occupation, are suffering from hunger. They have almost nothing left to eat. Reports indicate that civilians are forced to survive by eating herbs and wild plants, while medicines, clean water, electricity and medical care are increasingly out of reach. Children are also trapped in these harsh conditions.”
The city was flooded following the collapse of the "Nova Kakhovka" dam in 2023, a disaster that - according to reports - claimed the lives of hundreds of people. Evidence points to Russia's responsibility for the explosion that destroyed the dam, an accusation denied by Moscow.
The city also witnessed more destruction during subsequent years, as a result of the violent battles that took place in the region.
Why are civilians still there?
According to the Institute for the Study of War, an American think tank that monitors conflicts, about 40 percent of the city's population, which had a pre-war population of about 24,000, managed to flee to Ukrainian-controlled territory early in the fighting, when it was still possible. Since then, thousands more have succeeded in leaving, but many remain in the city; Either because they are unable to leave or because they do not want to.
The city plays an important role in Russian military operations in the region. It is located near the banks of the Dnipro River, directly facing Ukrainian positions along the war's front line.
In light of the exchange of fire between the two sides, the residents of the city of Oleshki find themselves caught in the middle.
As the intensity of the Russian occupation escalated, all escape routes towards Ukrainian territory gradually disappeared.
Fleeing the city by penetrating deeper into areas under Russian control has also become impossible in recent months. The intensity of the fighting has intensified, and all exit routes have become either planted with mines or filled with drones.
Kiev tried, on at least three occasions earlier this year, to push Russia to allow evacuations towards Ukrainian territory, but Moscow met these attempts with rejection every time.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of planting mines on the roads leading to the city, with the aim of preventing residents from leaving.
Zelensky said in his evening speech, Friday: “It is important that Kherson has enjoyed this much-needed calm. Russia must put an end to this war that it itself sparked.”
Will anyone stay there?
Neither Russian nor Ukrainian authorities have announced the exact number of people being evacuated, but it is clear that some residents have decided to stay.
A woman - who refused to reveal her name - told Ukrainian television that, although she wanted to leave, she could not travel by air, so she would remain in the city of "Olishki" with her husband.
Some elderly residents have shown reluctance to leave their homes, despite the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation. It becomes more difficult for many of them, given their inability to take their pets with them.
Video clips published by the office of a Ukrainian official show him receiving groups of residents who appeared emotional, and discussing with them the details of their departure. In one clip, he appears talking to those leaving about those who decided to stay, telling them: "I was told that this is their personal choice. We will make sure that at least some humanitarian aid reaches them."
Will this help Russian forces resupply?
This is a major concern for Ukrainian forces, especially since the ceasefire is set to expire on Sunday.
The Institute for the Study of War stated, in a report on the city of Oleshki, that the Russian army had been stationed there, using it as a strategic outpost in the region.
Ukraine is launching drone attacks on the region in an attempt to disrupt Russian supply lines, but these attacks have also affected civilians who are still inside the city.
