Russia-occupied Oleshky evacuees arrive in Belarus, Ukraine next

Three planes carrying residents evacuated from the Russian-controlled frontline Ukrainian city of Oleshky landed at Gomel airport in Belarus, the Belta state news agency reported on Saturday.

The evacuees, wishing to leave for Ukraine, travelled by bus via the Crimean peninsula to the Russian town of Anapa before flying to Belarus and will proceed to Ukraine via a border crossing, Belta said.

Starving and exhausted residents were evacuated as part of a joint relief operation by the opposing sides, the first of its kind in four years and eight months of war.