Many Oleshky residents chose to stay – too afraid to flee

On Sunday at 22:59 local time, the ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine ends in the occupied town of Olejsky, where a humanitarian disaster has unfolded.

The truce was brokered by US first lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo the 14th to send in supplies and evacuate residents who wanted to leave. Hundreds chose to do so, two-thirds of them to Ukrainian-controlled areas.

The evacuation was documented by the conservative American television channel Newsmax, which received exclusive rights to work in the part of the "death zone" where Oleshky is located.

Concerns about escalation

According to witness statements from Oleshky, there is concern that Russia has used the ceasefire for material recovery, and that the fighting will now escalate. Despite that, many Oleshky residents have chosen to stay. One reason may be mistrust of the escape route, which went through occupied Krym, Russia, flight to Belarus and bus to the Ukrainian border in Chernihiv.

- Whenever we have traveled through Russian territory, there have been interrogations and filters. You don't even know if you will arrive or not. This was the first time there was a "green corridor" without such a thing, says Zhanna, whose husband and the father of her child chose to evacuate. Now the family (in the opening image of the clip) is reunited.